Shillong, Oct 15: Amid objections over Durga Puja pandals on PWD roads, the Meghalaya Linguistic Minority Development Forum (MLMDF) has appealed for dialogue over confrontation.
In an open letter to the administration and NGOs/CSOs, the forum said concerns over traffic and public safety are legitimate and must be dealt with legally, but Durga Puja is sacred for the Sanatan community and committees have already invested heavily, so abrupt removal carries financial and emotional costs.
MLMDF said enforcement must come with sensitivity and fairness, noting that Shillong routinely sees road closures for state mega-events and VIP movements where citizens adjust, while illegal roadside parking daily leaves no space for pedestrians.
Stating that civic issues should not be weaponised to deepen communal divisions, the forum said during Christmas non-Christians join the celebrations and every festival should open doors rather than create distance.
It also flagged lack of timely coordination by bodies like the Central Puja Committee and proposed that where obstruction is found, committees be given reasonable notice to modify structures unless there is severe safety hazard, that administration and civil groups be invited to pandals to build a common dialogue platform, and that both Puja committees and NGOs act with shared responsibility.
The forum appealed to all stakeholders to preserve Meghalaya’s inclusive fabric and ensure a peaceful Durga Puja.
