NONGPOH:
The president of the Khasi Student Union (KSU), North Khasi Hills district Ferdynald K Kharkamni on December 15 slammed the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong for saying that the 22 village under Block II falls in the jurisdiction of Assam.
Kharkamni asked Tynsong to do homework before making critical statements on border issues which are ‘misleading the public’.
Kharkamni also lashed the statement of the Deputy Chief Minister after the meeting of the Union with the Deputy Commissioner for handing over the complaint letter against the atrocities met by the villagers of Umsaw Lumdorbar after the harassment from the Assam Forest Department who threatened to arrest the village dorbar elders after the incident of dismantling the fencing at the village.
Speaking to the Press, Ferdynald K Kharkamni, said that, the DyCM of Meghalaya has given the statement without going through the history of those villages under Block II but randomly stated that these villages fall under Assam but he should know that the people living in these villages are our Khasi Tribes who wants to be part of Meghalaya in this second phase border talks between the two neighbouring states.
He also said that, the Minister of our state must have heard about the year 1951, where the formation of Autonomous Councils of the United Khasi Jaintia and Mikir Hills has taken place, where it was clearly indicated that Mikir Hills jurisdiction till Ummat and Umiam lake and there is only 18 villages not 22 as claimed by the Minister and these villages has been placed under Block II, adding that, the statement of our DyCM will surely hurt the sentiment of our people living in the border area who want to be part with Meghalaya.
He also mentioned that, on the year 1951 through the Governor of Meghalaya forcibly includes the 18 villages into Mikir Hills when the Autonomous Council was established without the concern and will of our people, the fore father also stated that same and therefore, the Deputy Chief Minister himself must visit and go through the real fact before stating any statement to the public.
“How can Prestone Tynsong claim that, the 22 villages fall under Assam when they are not getting any developmental project or others need, except from Meghalaya and also our people possessed the Voter ID of Meghalaya and voted in Meghalaya”, Kharkamni said.
On the same day, the KSU submitted the complaint letter to the Deputy Commissioner seeking immediate action against the harassment done by Assam Police to the people of Umsaw Lumdorbar after the dismantling of illegal fencing of the Assam Forest at the agricultural land of the villagers, the Union has demanded to set up over 4 to 5 Border Outpost in Block II area at Madan Umwang, Umtlih, and Umlaper for the security of the people living in border areas and also denied to accept the proposal of the state government to set up the BOP’s at Thadrang and Raid Tyrso.