Sit-in protest against railway project

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JUNE 16: “Influx is not romance for the indigenous community” – the anti-railway groups – today said while announcing a sit-in-protest to demand the Congress-led government to put on hold the railway project in Ri Bhoi District.

The decision was taken at an emergent meeting of the three pressure groups – Federation of Khasi-Jaintia & Garo People (FKJGP), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) and Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) held in the city on Friday.

The NGO leaders also unanimously condemned the chief minister Mukul Sangma’s proposal that the proposed Shillong railway project should go up-to Cherrapunjee, at a time when the state is witnessing turmoil over the issue.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, FKJGP chief Wellbirth Rani said “We will be staging a sit-in-demonstration to mark the beginning of our protest against the construction of the railway line in the absence of mechanisms to check influx.”

The demonstration will be held at the Parking-lot near the Additional Secretariat in the state capital on June 21.

Rani informed that the meeting also resolved to seek immediate appointment with the state government to set the record straight that the Tetelia-Byrnihat railway line in Ri Bhoi’s Ronghona village be put on hold.

He also lambasted the government for its adamant attitude by ignoring the mounting demands put forth by the NGOs in the form of memorandums earlier this year.

“If the government fails to response, we would decide on our next course of action to further intensify our protest to pressurize till it is ready to listen to our demand,” he added.

Condemning the announcement made by the chief minister, the FKJGP president said, “This is like a provocation on the part of the chief minister, who is supposed to find out ways and means to restore normalcy in the state.”

Sangma after a review meeting yesterday had stated that railway to Cherrapunjee will be the most sought after train ride especially for romantic couples who would like to visit Meghalaya for honeymoon and anniversary.

However, HYNF general secretary Sadon K Blah said, “The chief minister should also know that influx is not at all romance for the indigenous people of the state of Meghalaya.”

The NGO leaders further maintained that the state government should first come up with effective mechanisms to address the concern over issue of influx before bringing development like the railway project.

The three pressure groups, which were part of the 13 NGOs spearheading the demand for implementation of comprehensive mechanisms, also lamented on the delay and lack of seriousness of the government to deal with the issue.

“How will we trust the government when talks on the matter have been for past four years (since 2013) and yet there are no signs of implementing the comprehensive mechanisms,” Rani said.

He said the process of land acquisition for setting up the entry/exit points is yet to be completed.

Blah on the other hand said that laws like the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, which was passed as part of the comprehensive mechanism, is also yet to be implemented.

Under the Residents’ Act, the district task force is required to be constituted. “However, when we met the different deputy commissioners on this delay, they responded how can the task force be constituted when rules are not in place,” he said.

Several KSU activists have been arrested following the May-27 voilent protest at the construction site of the railway line in Ri Bhoi and subsequent incidents of arson and petrol bomb attack in the three districts of Khasi Hills region.

Reacting to a query, Blah refused to comment on the statement by the HNLC, which pointed out that KSU has become a victim of the police despite the ILP issue was spearheaded by the 13 pressure groups.

“We have nothing to say as we have taken up the issue (on influx) with full concern about the safety and security of our people,” he said.