Meghalaya Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement State Youth Wing slams government move over probe

Thew Iew Mawlong riot

A REPORTER

SHILLONG, July 23: The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) State Youth Wing (SYW) has slammed the state police for summoning the vice president of the party’s youth wing to probe on his role into the unrest over the Sweeper’s lane issue last month.

“This action by the police to summon members of various pressure groups, local youths and people residing in different localities of Shillong concerning the recent unrest is an attempt by the police to create a fear psychosis amongst the people,” KHNAM SYW president Thomas Passah said here on Monday.

He said during the time of unrest it was displayed in various local newspapers and social media that those people residing in Thew Iew Mawlong (Sweepers’ lane) were carrying swords and other weapons even as Section 144 CrPC was imposed, however the government has not taken any action against them.

“This is not acceptable and the government should not be biased but should also take action against those people at Thew Iew Mawlong,” he said.

The organisation has also demanded the state government to focus their attention on immediately relocating the people residing at Them Iew Mawlong with an aim to bring back peace and stability to the city.

It may be mentioned that earlier, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) had asked the state government to stop summoning members of various pressure groups to probe their role into the unrest over the Sweeper’s Colony issue last month. KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar has suggested that the government should summon those people who are illegally staying in Them Metor (Sweeper’s Colony), because it was started by the residents staying there. Those staying there are often who start trouble.

“The government will not have any problem to evict those staying illegally. If the government can ask the former Chief Minister (Dr Mukul Sangma) to vacate his bungalow what is their difficulty to direct those living illegally at Sweeper’s Colony to leave the place,” Marngar said.

The KSU while criticising the state government said that when its duty was to ask the illegal settlers to leave the place, it instead summoned the locals on allegations that they were responsible in instigating the riot.

The KSU also made it clear that the demand to relocate the Sweeper’s Colony is nothing new but the issue has been hanging fire for many years.