HYC stages protest against police action at Rambrai, question if democratic protest declared illegal in Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 10, 2022

“Are democratic protests declared illegal in the state of Meghalaya? Are we living in a democracy or in a police state?” – questioned a placard displayed during a surprise protest staged by the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) in the city on Thursday.

The protest was against the police action on its members – who protested peacefully against the government’s failure to fulfill the nine-point demands that include implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) at Rambrai in West Khasi Hills district yesterday – and against the imposition of section 144 CrPC, which bans assembly of more than five persons, in the entire Shillong city.

Activists of the HYC gathered in front of the U Kiang Nangbah statue at Civil hospital junction and started shouting slogans and displaying placards to condemn the police highhandedness that led to the injury of three members.  

The other placards read: “CM and government are not above people’s right to expression in a democracy”, “Is intolerance a way forward for this NPP led government in Meghalaya”, “Mr Conrad Sangma who authorized the police in Meghalaya to stop the peaceful right to expression”, “Is Conrad Sangma trying to stifle the voice of dissent in the state”, “save democratic rights & fundamental right remove NPP mafia govt from secretariat” and “Imposition of sec 144 CrPC in Shillong is an attempt to forcefully silence the democratic right to expression”.

Speaking to reporters, general secretary of the Council Roykupar Synrem said they highly condemned the police action at Rambrai.

He said the members of the Rambrai circle as part of the ‘Save Hynniewtrep Mission’ were holding placards to ask the chief minister Conrad K Sangma as to what had happened to the nine-point demands put forth before his government.

Sadly, when the members reached the place where the CM was supposed to pass through to inaugurate the Rambrai C&RD block, the police forcefully took away all the placards and flags of the organization and during the confrontation, three members were injured.

“Therefore, we came to protest to send a clear message to this government that the HYC will not be threatened by these actions of the police and the magistrates or the government as we will not keep our mouth shut to demand the rights of our people,” Synrem said.

Stating that the HYC will further intensify its agitation, the general secretary said, “And this promulgation of 144 CrPC will not keep us away from organizing these kinds of protest in the city from today and in the next few days these types of protest will keep on happening till this government take our demands seriously and whatever we are demanding they should be implemented as soon as possible.”

Inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, relocation of the Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong, addressing unemployment issue are some of the other demands under the Save Hynniewtrep Mission.