Senior citizens lead protest against attack on non-tribals in city

Shillong, Jan 23: 1979. 1987. 1992. 2018. 2019. 2022. The placards at a peaceful protest at Police Bazar junction in the city on Sunday gave the chronology of attacks on non-tribal citizens in Meghalaya. These were to remind the authorities concerned about justice that is yet to be delivered.

A group of citizens, led by Sushit Kanti Choudhury and Kalpana Choudhury, organised a peaceful protest against the attack on eight non-tribals at Lumdiengjri on January 20, a day before Meghalaya celebrated the golden jubilee of its statehood.

The Choudhurys, who are residents of the Bengali-dominated Rilbong locality in the city, organised the sit-in hunger strike demanding justice not only for the victims of the January 20 attack but also for decades of violence against the “minorities in the state”.

“The gap between tribal and non-tribal is extending. Why don’t the locals speak out? This is not humanity. This should stop now. For how long must the non-tribal community here suffer? The incident took place right in front of the police station but this time too, the perpetrators will not be punished,” said Sushit Kanti. His wife, Kalpana, is suffering from kidney ailment. But that is no deterrence for her to join the protest.

The sit-in, which was allowed by the district administration till 4pm, started in a tepid mode with a few participants. But more well-wishers and supporters — including activists Agnes Kharshiing, Angela Rangad and Tarun Bhartiya — joined later in the afternoon and condemned the incident.

Ruma Paul, the sister of one of the victims , said she got a call on January 20 evening that her brother was stabbed. “I rushed to the place and saw him lying in a pool of blood. I took him to the hospital with the help of a few policemen. But the incident happened in front of the police station. How can the police say ‘unidentified miscreants’ all the time,” she said.

When asked about the lukewarm response from the minority community in the city, Sushit Kanti admitted that there was “lack of unity” among the members.

Among the supporters was a victim of communal violence. Debashish Ghosh, said it was a pain for the non-tribal community to endure the violence since 1979. “We are here to get justice. Why is the administration not acting? We want peace and nothing more,” said Ghosh, who had seen his house being burned at the age of five.

Sushit Kanti said a handful of people are creating the divide between the two communities. But he sees a flicker of hope. “This will stop.It has to. My only intention is to bridge the gap between the tribal and the non-tribal. Communal harmony should be everyone’s motto and not just mine. I spoke with the administration concerened and they said the process of arresting the perpetrators is on,” he added.

“Enough is enough. Stop communal violence.” The message was loud and clear. But will the state government listen to the plea and act?