Shillong, May 21: The President of the GSU Mr Tengsak G Momin and Manseng A. Sangma Adviser fear fear probable encroachment of land by Assam in Moishaldanga, Garo Hills and both of the student leaders said that they would like to bring to the notice of the Meghalaya Government that an encroachment of land in Garo Hills is being perpetrated by Assam officials in Moishaldanga, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya.
The two GSU leader said that in the light of this circumstances they believe the knowledge must be put forth for the general information of all since Meghalaya shares 884.9 km border with Assam and there are critical border disputes between Assam and Meghalaya.
On preliminary investigations by the GSU, they were privy to the information that on the 18th May’20 a team consisting of Lad Mondol, Mr Nurul Islam from South Salmara District accompanied by the police team of Kalapani and a contingent of CRPF from Singimari entered Moishaldanga Meghalaya about 3-4 km from Pipulbari Meghalaya and forcibly claimed around 68 Bighas of land as part of Assam.
As per the reports, the team was sent under the auspices of Mr. Saibar Rahman, ADC, South Salmara District if it can be believed on face value since it must have the knowledge of the D.C. It is rumoured that already 40 bighas of land has been allotted to 20 people for a sum of 2 lacs per bigha from Assam and the rest of the land is to be distributed soon.
The Assam officials have proceeded to put up posts as per the latest reports. The GSU alleged that the land being illegally occupied belongs to three Indian citizens from Meghalaya who have a patta for the land from the Garo Hills District Council and have been paying taxes for it.
When the owners of the land produced the documents that the land belonged to them and it was part of Meghalaya it was simply declared as fake documents completely disregarding the GHADC.
The timing of the Assam officials to perpetrate this act during lockdown is a sure sign of conspiracy. The GSU claim that have photos and videos to prove that the DC, ADC, Lad Mondol, police and CRPF contingent have broken every lockdown rules of India and the Assam government must take this government servants to task since their actions are not only conspiratorial but have put public health at risk of not only people of Assam but of Meghalaya by gathering in such numbers without the least bit of care for social distancing.
Assam has reported more than a hundred covid-19 cases and recently it has witnessed a spike with 42 cases on 20th May’19. The Assam minister Shri Himanta Biswas Sharma had stated earlier this week on the policy of” ruthless quarantine with a human heart” to contain the spread of the virus.
But his officials are undermining his policy under his own nose. Since the mentioned officials of South Salmara District has broken the rules of nationwide lockdown it is disobedience to quarantine rule which is punishable under Section 271 of the IPC, 1860 and sections 269 and 270 of the IPC is applicable and cognizable cases against them.
The GSU would like the Meghalaya Government to intervene since Assam and Meghalaya has many areas under dispute and if this annexation of land is simply glossed over by the government then there will be many cases like the Langpih incident, the incident at Rongsai Meghalaya and GSU will be forced to raise it to a crescendo, said Mr Tengsal Gabil Momin President GSU and Mr Manseng A Sangma Adviser of the GSU central body, Tura.
