HPC rejects “polite threat” of deputy CM

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 3, 2019

SHILLONG: The Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) has rejected what it called a “polite threat” of the deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong. 

This came a day after Tynsong had asked “illegal” settlers to consider shifting on their own from the Sweeper’s Colony at Them Iew Mawlong following the recent order passed by the Meghalaya High Court. 

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, HPC headman Billu Singh said, “This is veiled polite threat and we reject it in toto. We will not be cowed down like this. We are citizens of the state for the last two centuries and we cannot be bullied. We have legitimate rights and we will contest for those rights.” 

Alleging the deputy chief minister of misleading the people of the state by quoting only one partial order of the High Court, Singh said, “The deputy chief minister must know that the case is far from over. The legal battle is far from over. The order of February 2019 still stands and as the government of Meghalaya has gone in appeal, it has been listed for August 22, 2019.” 

He said the government has to content another case filed by him wherein the eviction notices passed on May 31 have been challenged adding this too would come up on August 22. 

Tynsong while hailing the court order which directed the residents to cooperate and furnish information to the state had stated, “The direction of the High Court shows that the state government is doing the right thing because every citizen be it in the state or nation as a whole, we have every right to ask them to furnish all the detail information but these people instead of doing that they are going to the court to put pressure on the government that they are exempted from that, which I am telling you is illegal, as they cannot do that.” 

Reacting to this, Singh alleged that “Tynsong is telling lies after lies. Having sat silent for a period of two weeks, during which the contempt petition was pending the High Court, he is now in an overdrive with his “unlawful talk”. During the Delhi meeting between Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and the chief minister Conrad K Sangma, the deputy chief minister preferred to stay away as he could not face truth,” adding “We reject the High level committee and we will reject all the decisions that the HLC takes tomorrow or in future.” 

The HLC will be holding a meeting tomorrow on the matter. 

Singh said the High Court in its order passed on June 28, while hearing a review petition filed by the state government had stated “However, it is directed that the occupants/residents of the concerned area shall cooperate in furnishing the requisite information to the state.” However he said the last line of the order is significant where the judge says that “For further considerations to come up on August 28.” 

He said the deputy chief minister and the Shillong Municipal Board must understand that this  order is untenable because when an appeal is under consideration, the High Court cannot pass an order on the review petition. “Also our counsels will shortly be seeking a modification of the above quoted order. moreover the very notice has been challenged and will be taken up by the court on August 22,” he said.