HPC demands govt to issue land papers to residents of Harijan colony

In a memorandum to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma here, HPC secretary Gurjit Singh said, “The Meghalaya government must ensure that we are given permanent land record papers, as we possess the traditional land records given to our forefathers by the then traditional rulers of the land, suddenly, the present state government is in overdrive to evict us from our home and habitat.”

“The government of Meghalaya must send a clear message to the various Khasi tribal groups and banned bodies who are issuing threats to kill the Sikhs and other residents of the area,” he said.

Stating that their rights to residence at Punjabi lane area is not negotiable, Singh who is also the president of the City Gurdwara Management Committee, Shillong said, “any attempt by the state government to relocate, dislocate or evict us is violative of the Constitution of India and our rights to property to 2.5 acres land as given to us by the Syiem of Mylliem prior to 1863 and confirmed in the declaration given by him in 2008.”

He said that the land given by the tribal king of the time was donated to the residents under what is called the ‘Lakhi raj’ system – meaning the land is free of revenue and as since then right upto today no tax is collected from the residents of the area adding all other properties attract tax.

“We are categoric that relocating us to another place is neither feasible nor acceptable and is completely against the Constitution of India,” he said.

The HPC secretary also added that the residents believe that with the intervention of Sikh bodies, central government and Punjab government, a proposal should be drafted for the beautification of the nearly 2 acres land which legitimately belongs to us, by fully regularising our rights and passing on the right to property to all residents living there and the proposal must have the approval of the HPC and all residents of the area.

Singh further termed the statements of the deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong to overawe the residents by saying that they will have to accept relocation as disturbing and despicable.

According to him, the HLC headed by Tynsong has not had even one official interaction with the HPC and has been working in a rather “dictatorial manner”.

Meanwhile, the HPC demanded the state government to call a meeting of all stakeholders to ensure peace in the area and complete stoppage of all pressure tactics by authorities and other groups.