Shillong Khasi Students’ Union up in arms against summoning of locals

A Correspondent

Shillong, July 22: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has 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.

“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,” KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar said.

“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 the difficulty to direct those living illegally at Sweeper’s Colony to leave the place,” Marngar asked.

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

The KSU president also said that the state government should understand that public coming on to the streets during the protest to demand for the eviction of the residents at Sweeper’s Colony were not instigated by anyone but it was an instant outpouring of concern arising out of frequent incidents at the place. Marngar also criticized organizations and political parties from outside the state who visited the Sweeper’s Lane and offered residents living there with help.

The KSU chief said that these people coming from outside the state are adding fuel to fire, interfering and even directing the state government on the issue.

“In fact they should be summoned,” Marngar added.

The KSU president also said that he is surprise as well as confused what the state government wants by summoning members of the pressure groups and the public.

According to Marngar, when the issue to remove the residents from Sweeper’s Colony was at its peak it was the voice to the people who demanded it.

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. Marngar pointed out that various governments from time to time could not settle the issue.