SHILLONG:
A day after the state capital witnessed a protest by some non-tribals against frequent attacks on the community and the culprits going unpunished, a group of labourers allegedly suffered a similar fate at Dinam Hall, Jaiaw on Monday evening.
According to sources, the labourers were putting up tents in Dinam Hall when around 20 to 25 unidentified persons came and started assaulting them with sticks and bamboos.
Five of the persons bore the brunt of the attack of whom two were taken to Shillong Civil Hospital for treatment while the others suffered minor bruises.
Residents of the area also confirmed that some workers constructing a pandal were assaulted. They informed that one local person was also assaulted.
Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills police have denied assault on a person by some non-tribal miscreants in Golf Links as shown in a post that went viral on social media; the post also mentioned special hit squads being formed to target tribals.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, S Nongtnger informed that the matter has been verified and no such incident had occurred. “At the same time nobody has come forward to file any complaint,” Nongtnger said.
He urged people to refrain from forwarding any such misinformation without proper verification of facts.
On the other hand, Gambegre MLA Saleng Sangma on Monday said that “segregation or racism” has no place in Meghalaya and one shouldn’t make attempts to justify them here.
Adding that though people are welcome to exercise their right to protest in the state, one shouldn’t accuse the whole tribal community of such wrongdoings, he said. “Instead, people should collectively fight atrocities committed against the weaker sections of the society,” Sangma said in context of the Sunday protest.
He further maintained, “If you are protesting, then you should stand for the weaker section of the society, those who are victims. Do not try to segregate, or create racism, this is not good. If you are well-educated, you should know how to take it forward.”
Referring to the scenario in Khyndailad and Iewduh, he said, “How many tribals own a shop? When you go and look there, it is run by a majority of the non-tribals. You cannot blame the Meghalayans for the atrocities on the non-tribals. We, tribals, are free and peace-loving people and are not head-hunters anymore.”
He assured that the government is trying to get hold of the criminals involved in the alleged crimes.
Referring to the cold-blooded murder of late Josbina Sangma when militancy was at its height, Sangma pointed out that even the militant groups in the state such as the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) and the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) mostly attacked tribals.
It may be mentioned that the protest, held on January 23, was led by a couple – SK Choudhury and his wife – who had earlier said that they will sit on an indefinite hunger strike if the government fails to bring the culprits to book.
Citing the recent incident at Lumdiengjri, where three non-tribals were stabbed by unidentified persons on January 20, as a case in point, Choudhury had said that such atrocities committed against minority communities, particularly on the Bengali community, has been a trend since 1979 and he will continue to protest till the time “government commit our fundamental rights and punish the culprits”.