Demand for arrest of attackers on protesters at public hearing in 3 days
Shillong, Sept 5: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has warned of resuming its agitation if the government could not act on its five demands and arrest those involved in the attack on protesters at the controversial public hearing of a cement plant in East Jaintia Hills.
“We give the government three days to arrest these persons involved and also government persons who may be involved. Otherwise, the Union will have to think of other ways after this deadline,” the KSU said in a statement on Friday after a Central Executive Committee (CEC) to review assurances given by the government on its demands.
Warning that talks are meaningful only when they translate into action, KSU said, “The Union will not hesitate to withdraw the temporary suspension of agitation as announced on August 26 and will resume agitation from here onwards.”
It said the KSU CEC has resolved to follow up on government assurances on the five demands.
According to KSU, the government had promised to follow up on setting up facilitation centres at Umling and Ratacherra and implementation of the Migrant Workmen Act within 20 days.
Meanwhile, the KSU expressed strong resentment over what it termed as “daily filing of cases” and “harassment” of its leaders.
“The Union expresses anger over filing of cases against our leaders almost daily and especially the arrest of Samuel Kharbani, general secretary of KSU Shillong Mihngi Circle,” the statement said.
KSU said Kharbani was summoned to Sadar police station for opposing an illegal mandir construction inside the CBI office, which, it said, is a government and public office.
“Instead, the government backstabbed our members by randomly arresting and filing cases in connection with our peaceful bike rally on August 19,” it said.
Terming it as failure of the police, KSU said, “This shows the weakness and inability of the police department that they cannot catch the real culprits but randomly arrest our frontline members to appease someone without proper evidence.”
Raising the July 30-31 attack during the Shree Cement public hearing at Lum Syrman, Elaka Nongkhlieh, the Union questioned why not a single arrest has been made even after two months.
“The police department summoned and harassed our members like this, but has the police department arrested even one person who damaged vehicles, dug up public road and was involved in attacking people who went to oppose the public hearing on the night of July 30 and morning of July 31?” it asked.
