SHILLONG:
The non-cooperation movement called by the five pressure groups saw thin attendance in state government offices on November 25.
The non-cooperation movement was called by Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) and Ri-Bhoi Youth Front (RBYF) in protest against the killing of five villagers at Mukroh in West Jaiñtia Hills on November 22.
Lachaumiere and IGP Point where most of the state government offices are located wore an almost deserted look even as those who attended left office early.
The fourth Secretariat building office which houses the office of the District Transport Office which deals with the public was deserted.
East Khasi Hills District Transport Officer, D. Lamin said that out of 30 staffs in his office 25 turned up for work.“Since they feared coming in their own vehicles they used the cabs to come to office today,” Lamin said.
However, the office of Directorate of Sericulture and Weaving Department of Textiles was locked. Another state government employee in another department informed that some of the employees left office by 12 noon.
“My wife went to office early and came back after signing the attendance register,” another person said.
Meanwhile, in Ri Bhoi District the non-cooperation movement was marked by the pressure groups by shutting down different governmental offices and even interrupted the walk-in interview at the Superintending Engineer office of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) in Nongpoh.
Heavy police forces were also deployed at the campus of the Deputy Commissioner to prevent the groups’ volunteers from entering the office premises.
A heated argument also broke out between the groups’ leaders with the magistrate and police. The groups threatened that if any untoward incidents occur the District Administration will be held responsible.
Meanwhile, in Markyrwat, South West Khasi Hills district, members of the KSU and FKJGP, requested all the state government employees to boycott office hours to show their grievances and condemn the Meghalaya and Assam governments for the incident that happened at Mukroh on November 22.
The pressure groups condemned the state government and called all government offices to be closed as a protest against the death of the five civilians.