HYC threatens to intensify stir

SHILLONG, Dec 9: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has threatened to intensify its agitation if the State government fails to bring about a resolution vis-à-vis its 14-point charter of demands, which include introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP), in the last two days of the Winter Session of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

The Council concluded its three-day hunger strike in protest against the indifferent attitude of the State government towards its demands around 5 pm on Saturday at the Additiol Secretariat parking lot here.

It may be mentioned that the three-day hunger strike called by the HYC was disrupted on a couple of occasions because of the ongoing Assembly session and most of its leaders and members were evicted from the site by the police as they had not been given permission to continue the hunger strike past 4 pm.

The Council members had staged a surprise protest in front of Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s residence here on Friday, before being removed by the police and taken to Sadar police station. However, they were later released. Speaking to reporters after conclusion of the hunger strike, HYC general secretary Robert Kharjahrin said, “We will give time to the Congress-led State government to agree to our demands, which include implementation of ILP, within the last two days (December 13 and 14) of the current Winter Session of the Assembly.”

He further said that, if the State government fails to agree to its 14-point charter of demands, the Council will have no other choice but to intensify its agitation and launch “Clean Congress Campaign”.

“We will also announce further agitation programme on 15 or 16 of this month, if our demands are not met,” he warned.