Shillong, Mar 20: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) today said thousands of its members will not hesitate to go to jail if the Meghalaya state government dares to bulldoze its way to introduce a railway line in the Khasi and Jaintia region in the absence of effective and strong anti-influx mechanisms like the inner line permit (ILP).
“While we were fighting for ILP, suddenly they came up with a proposal to introduce the railway line. Therefore, we are sending a loud and clear message not to provoke the KSU because we want immediate implementation of strong and effective laws to protect the rights and interests of the Khasi community,” KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar said while addressing a meeting to mark the 47th anniversary of the union.
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He also warned, “If the government dares to bulldoze, then it should also be ready to expand the different district jails as thousands of KSU members are ready to go to jail. The KSU doesn’t have time to give big talks on social media, we are busy fighting on the ground for the protection of the Khasi community.”
Marngar said the state government had already passed a resolution for implementation of the ILP but unfortunately, the matter is still pending for the Centre’s decision.
He also questioned the government’s failure to implement the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016 and said, “People should not only question what the KSU has done to protect the Khasi community, but they should also question the legislators what have they done on this when they have been elected to make laws for the protecting the Indigenous community.”
The KSU president also reminded the union that it had been a tough journey in the past 47 years and said, “We have faced many challenges while taking up the different issues affecting the Indigenous community.”
He alleged that the government whether state or centre have made many attempts to divide the KSU.
“In 2007-2009 there was an attempt to divide the KSU because of the uranium issue not only through use of money but even to the extent of trying to take the lives of the KSU leaders. Therefore, we are here to remind the KSU in its 47 years of existence has been standing for the cause of the indigenous people to safeguard their rights and interests,” he added.
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The KSU established in 1978 is a brainchild of a group of students to safeguard the rights of the Khasi community through a common platform.
(Newmai News Network)