Shillong, Sept 20: The president of the Garo National Council (GNC) and MLA of Chokpot tod
ay sent an open letter to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Dr Mukul Sangma demanding that all the members of the GHSMC should be released on or before 25 of this month others wise will compel him to go for indefinite hunger strike from 26 of this month at his residence at Hawakhana Tura.
About the demand of the NGOs on the implementation of ILP, he said that if the Government is not contemplating to implement why constituted the High Level Committee at the first instance said Mr Clifford. The GNC want that the government should implement the ILP in the state.
The open letter which was sent today to the chief minister Mr Clifford write, “I, on behalf of the Garo National Council (GMC) would like to bring to your notice the arrest of the members of Gars Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) on the 12th of September 2013 for democratically demanding for a separate state of Garo Hills including some areas of Goalpara and Kamrup districts of Assarn on linguistic basis.
As you are aware of the fact that when we fought for the Hill State Movement, no students or public were arrested when we the students including the political leaders like Late Grohonsing R. Marak, E.M., G.H.D.C. and others prevented the entering of the Deputy Commissioners vehicle into the premises of the DC office in 1967.
The members of GHSMC were arrested on flimsy grounds, like molestation in Garo language, it is called ‘Bolokkari . How could this happen inside the DC office during broad daylight? I think, you and your government basing on the advice of Shri
Prarrin Bakshi, IAS, DC of Tura took a serious crime order on the arrested members of GHSMC which is contrary to democracy in India.
If you are a genuine Garo leader, you are to think and solve the grievances and difficulties of the people of Garo Hills. I came to know from reliable sources that your DC Shri Parvin Bakshi, IAS ordered to shift the arrested members from Tura jail to Jowai jail on the 17th of September 2013 which never happened before
I, as the president of the Garo National Council (GNC) spear-heading the agitations like processions, picketings, hartals and bandhs and others in a democratic way for a separate state for Garo Hills without any arms and violence since 1992.
Last but not the least, I would like to bring to your notice the very important issue of Inner Line Permit (ILP) which many NGOs of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills are spear-heading agitations for its Implementation. But government is trying to bring the Tenancy Act which is contrary to the wishes of the people of Meghalaya. 1 will ‘ therefore, request you kindly to implement the Inner Line Permit
which was recommended by the High Level Committee (HLC) headed by Mr, B, M. Lanong, Former Deputy Chief Minister of Meghdaya. I, therefore, would like to request you kindly to release the arrested members of GHSMC unconditionally on or before the 25th of September 2013, otherwise I may be compelled to go for an indefinite
hunger strike in front of your residence at Hawakhana on 26th of September 2013 onwards. “ The open letter was released to the media at the Shillong Club.(SP News)
