Shillong, Oct 18: The attention of the State Government has been drawn to media and other reports about the 36 hours bandh called by the HNLC on the 21st and 22nd October, 2013 which coincides with the maiden visit of the Honble President of India to the State after assumption of the office of President. HNLC is a proscribed organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 since the 16th November, 2000 and has been boycotting the celebrations of national days of importance like the Independence Day and the Republic Day through bandh calls. Likewise, HNLC also called boycott of the last General Election to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly which met with a resounding defeat as the voter turnout in the State registered an all time high of 87.97 percent.
Government has taken a serious note of these avoidable and
unnecessary calls for bandh, particularly by an organization which has been
proscribed by law. These bandhs have needlessly restricted the movement of people which is a Fundamental Right of every citizen of India, weaken the earning capacity of daily wage earners and labourers and brought the image of the State in negative light.
The 36 hours bandh call can well be termed anti-student and is sought to deprive about 2,000 students from attending the convocation at the
premises of the North Eastern Hill University to receive their degrees, a
culmination of years of hard work. While steps are being taken to provide all
necessary security arrangements for the protection of all sections of the people
of the State, particularly during the 36 hours of the bandh, Government also
appeals to each and every citizen of the State to come out in large numbers to
greet the Honble President on this auspicious occasion which will be an
indication of our maturity and send out a strong message that the people of the
State can be no longer be willfully held to siege at every turn.(SP News)
