Shillong,May 13: The residents of Lapangap and the pressure groups have protested in front of the Secretariat on Wednesday (May 13), regarding the problems faced by the farmers in the border village
The complaints of the villagers are that they are not allowed to farm in Lapangap due to protests from Karbi residents.
Later, the delegation met the Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who assured security in the area.
Earlier, the state police resorted to pepper spray and lathi charge on Wednesday to control hundreds of Lapangap villagers who marched towards the Secretariat demanding security for farmers allegedly facing harassment from Karbis
The protesters, arrived in buses from Lapangap and assembled at Malki football ground, and they marched from Civil Hospital Point despite the district administration’s appeal to call off the rally citing talks called by the government.
Security personnel were deployed along the route. Police attempted to stop the march near the SP office, but the crowd forced its way forward.
The villagers had the support of the Khasi Students’ Union and the Jaintia Students’ Movement
Hey raised slogans such as “MDA down down”, “Chief Minister step down”, “Sniawbhalang step down”.
KSU West Jaintia Hills president Laitphar Syngkrem condemned the police action.
“We strongly condemn the action taken by the district administration and police by blocking protesters. The Dorbar Shnong of Lapangap has not come here to create any law and order situation but to demand our rights, because the state government has turned a deaf ear and blind eye to the problem faced by the people residing there,” he said.
“If they want to go to their paddy fields, they are being harassed by the Assam police, and when they come here to Shillong, they are being harassed by Meghalaya police. If we cannot work on our own land and if we cannot make our voices heard in our land, where do they expect us to go?” Syngkrem asked.
The protest by Lapangap villagers was later called off after the state government assured that the farmers can resume cultivation without disturbance.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhinav Kumar Singh said the discussion was attended by the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Superintendent of Police, Deputy Commissioner, and representatives of various student organisations along with the Rangbah Shnong of Lapangap.
“Today many farmers from Lapangap came to Shillong to express their grievances to the government. After intense discussion, the key point that has come out, based on the demands and grievances of the people, is that starting from tomorrow SF-10 will be deployed in the existing posts,” Singh said.
He added that the matter would be taken up at the highest level. “We will be discussing at the highest level of the government through the Deputy Chief Minister and the Chief Minister, and the matter will be taken up today. At the district level, the SP and I will be going to the field to make sure that cultivation will start and to ensure that peace is there,” he said.
Regarding border talks, the DC said, “Also in the coming days, the peace committee will be handling again the negotiations that have not happened so far, because the Assam government was just formed recently and the chairman of the regional committee of Assam is yet to be decided. By tomorrow negotiations will be started and I firmly believe that peace will be restored, and from our side the cultivation will be happening.”
West Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Jagpal Singh Dhanoa assured the farmers of full protection.
After the meeting with the delegation of farmers, the deputy chief minister said, “The people of Lapangap village and some of the NGOs met me regarding this issue. Over the past few days, there have been incidents. It is the season for farmers to begin cultivation, but there have been disturbances from the Karbi side,” Dhar said.
He clarified that the discussion did not pertain to the interstate boundary. “Today’s discussion was not about the border issue. We discussed their livelihood in Lapangap village…. The border issue is a matter to be taken up at the state level,” Dhar said.
“The delegation came to request intervention as some Karbi individuals have been disturbing them, and we have assured them that we will deploy full force from tomorrow onwards to ensure that cultivation can proceed without any disturbance,” he said.
Dhar said the matter was discussed with Assam
“The deputy commissioners from both sides will hold discussions — they have already spoken in the past few days — but further discussions are needed. Since Assam has formed a new government, our Chief Minister has told me that he will take up this issue with the Assam Chief Minister.”
“Because this area lies along the border, we are waiting for the Assam government to appoint the new chairman of the regional committee from their side. Once that is done, we will decide and meet our counterparts at an appropriate time,” he said.
“There is already a police presence there, but additional force is required. We are therefore deploying more personnel to ensure the safety and security of people living along the border. We will deploy as needed,” he added.
Lapangap village Assistant Headman Samkhih Situng said the village’s primary demand was to give full protection to the farmers of Lapangap village.
“We had a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who assured us that from tomorrow onwards, the farmers of Lapangap village can continue with cultivation,” Situng said.
“As we stated in the meeting, if the government’s assurance is not implemented, we will take further steps to ensure protection for our farmers while they carry out cultivation,” he said.
On the harassment faced by villagers, Situng said, “We face harassment constantly. We cultivate our land and carry out ploughing, but people from the Karbi side come at night to destroy our paddy fields. That is the harassment we have endured.”
“We are not 100 percent, but 95 percent satisfied with the government’s decision. We hope the government will take the Lapangap issue very seriously and provide adequate security so that we can carry out cultivation freely. We want full deployment of forces, including SF-10,” he said.
