SHILLONG Violence: Under Control But Tense
AS Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has said no religious place was attacked or destroyed in Shillong, noted as the Switzerland in the eastern India, youthful Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad Sangma is of the view that the violence was pre-planned by some vested interests. They are being identified he said and added that the government will take action against those who are funding the youths from outside the city to create trouble for the residents.“Certain individuals are funding the agitation. We have their names and the evidence is that the agitators are given expensive alcohol and money to unleash violence,” Sangma told reporters on Sunday after a high-level meeting with the police and other officials. The Shillong Times says Sangma said some youths who were arrested had confessed that they were given money to agitate.
The police believe that majority of the youths who are agitating on city streets are from West Khasi Hills and outskirts of the city.
Sangma was speaking to media people after interacting with the headmen of various localities and the stakeholders concerned. They were of the opinion that the protesters were not from the city.“We are wondering who these people are. None of them are from the Shillong localities. Who are the individuals and from where they are coming. All these will be looked into,” Sangma said. Sangma made it clear that stern action will be taken against those who are giving money to the youths to create trouble.“We have some names and detailed probe will be conducted into the matter,” Sangma said.He however declines to answer whether Congress politicians are involved to destabilise the government. Asked about any political angle, he said naturally, some politicians may take advantage of the issue. He also said the police are keeping restraint while dealing with the agitators.“In the first 48 hours, we did not resort to any retaliation. If needed, the police will be aggressive to tackle the situation,” Sangma said.The chief minister said on Friday he had a fruitful meeting with the headmen of various city localities, local MLA Adelbert Nongrum, among others and engaged several stakeholders to restore normalcy. The crowd defied the village headmen’s appeal to go back, he said and wondered as to why the appeal of the elders was not respected by the youths.Sangma said the government is firm that there is no harm to human life as the security forces are patiently dealing with the situation though many of them were injured.The authorities on Monday extended curfew in the Meghalaya capital as violence continued in tension-hit areas the previous night with mobs indulging in stone-pelting on security forces for the last four days.”Curfew has been imposed from 4 p.m. on Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday in Shillong as there is likelihood that breach of peace may spread to other parts of the city,” Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, Peter. S. Dkhar told IANS.”The situation is very tense in those areas,” he said, adding that suspension of internet on mobile services would continue besides prohibiting the illegal sale of petrol and diesel.On June 1, the district magistrate imposed curfew in areas under Lumdiengjri police station and Cantonment Beat House in view of the breakdown of law and order in Motphran, Mawkhar and adjoining areas following the May 31 clash. Although, the curfew was relaxed for seven hours from 8 a.m. on Sunday, the mob continued to pelt stones at security forces forcing the police to fire tear gas shells. The mob also attacked an Undertrial prisoner van carrying a mentally-unstable person, who was referred to be admitted at the KJP Robert Hospital, Inspector General of Police, H. Nongpluh said. Conrad Sangma said the police have “found out that there are certain people who are funding this agitation”. Meanwhile, a Sikh delegation led by Delhi legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa met Sangma and expressed satisfaction that the “Sikhs were safe” in Meghalaya. Shillong-based Sikh community leader Gurjeet Singh denied media reports that a gurdwara was torched or desecrated..It is stated that he clash erupted after a skirmish between some women and a driver of Shillong Public Transport Service bus at Them Meteor. The violence continued even after the parties involved in the skirmish reached a compromise.(Image Courtesy: Shillong Times).
