RAF to arrive, fresh stir on the anvil

SHILLONG, SEPT 14:  Even as the KSU vice president Federick Kharmawphlang said that the ngos will be formally announcing fresh agitational programme on Sunday, Meghalaya government has sought twelve companies of CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF) to ensure peace and tranquility in the state which has been rocked with agitation.

Meghalaya home department principal secretary KS Kropha informed that the state government is waiting for the additional forces to reach Meghalaya to contain any violence that might erupt due to the ongoing agitation.

The need for bringing additional security forces has been felt since many Government offices and private vehicles have been torched by miscreants in different parts of the state including Shillong.

Meanwhile the ten ngos demanding the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state is slated to announce their next agitational plan on Sunday after their second phase of agitation of night road blocakade ended Saturday morning .

“We will sit and finalize our next course of action by tomorrow (Sunday),” KSU vice president Fedrick Kharmawphlang told this reporter via SMS on Saturday.

Grapevines, however, say that the ngos proposed to call for a two days office picketing followed by night road blockade and a 24 hour bandh from September 17.  The proposed office picketing will be held on September 17 and 19 followed by night road blockades from 9pm to 5 am on both the days.

September 18 being the Unitarian Day, the ngos have decided not called for any agitation. However a 24-hour bandh has been proposed to be held from 5 am of September 20 to 5 am the next day.

But Kharmawphlang refused to confirm saying that the ngos will be deciding on Sunday and accordingly announce. He said, “We have not yet decided on our next course of action so far.” He however informed that though few of the leaders from the different ngos met but the meeting could not really take a call since most of the leaders of other ngos were not present.

Kharmawphlang said, “We will finalize whatever steps to be taken to intensify our agitation by Sunday.”- By Our Reporter