HYC concerned over NPP-led govt stifling voice of dissent

Shillong, Nov 9: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has questioned whether the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma is trying to stifle the voice of dissent in the state.

“Is the intolerance a way forward for this NPP-led government in Meghalaya?” asked the HYC general secretary Roykupar Synrem, on Wednesday.

Thie response is after police had disbanded a peaceful protest staged by HYC members as part of the Save Hynniewtrep Mission at Rambrai on Wednesday.

The intention was to remind the chief minister of the nine-point demands included in the Save Hynniewtrep Mission.

Synrem said in a statement that the protest was supposed to be peaceful and democratic in anticipation of the chief minister’s arrival at the C&RD Block and his subsequent opinion on the same.

“However, the police broke into the protest, stifling the voice of protesters who are members of HYC and disbanded the protest by taking away all the placards and flags of the organisation. In the melee, some members were hurt by the police action. But still the members present there shouted slogans when the CM’s convoy passed through them making him known of the demands under the SHM,” he said.

According to Synrem, the ability to hold peaceful protests and voicing opinions is a basic constitutional right in a democracy.

He said, “After the lathi-charge on the protesting teachers, the action taken by the MDA government’s police force today at Rambrai on our members is yet another undemocratic step in a series of violent breach of democracy and another attempt by this government to stifle the dissenting voice and opinions of the people in the state.”

“However, let us make one thing clear, these actions will only make us more emboldened and more actions from our side will follow in the days to come,” he asserted.

Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated Rambrai Community and Rural Development Block carved out of Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills.