Members of the Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) were reportedly hurt after they were prevented by authorities to draw attention to the nine demands under the Save Hynñiewtrep Mission carry out a protest during the visit of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma at Rambrai today.
According to HYC general secretary, Roy Kupar Synrem the members were carrying out a ‘peaceful protest’ at Rambrai as part of the mission to remind the chief minister on implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and other matters.
“The protest which is supposed to be peaceful and democratic in anticipation of the Chief Minister’s arrival at the C&RD Block and his subsequent opinion on the same. However, the police broke into the protest stifling the voice of protesters who are members of HYC and disbanded the protest by taking away all the placards and flags of the organization. In the melee, some members were hurt by the police action,” Synrem said, adding, the members were however able to shout slogans to get the attention of the authorities.
Irked by the action, Synrem said peaceful protests and voicing opinions is a basic constitutional right in a democracy. “Is the Chief Minister trying to stifles the voice of dissent in the State? Is the intolerance a way forward for this NPP led Government in Meghalaya?” he questioned.
He said that the police action at Rambrai is yet another undemocratic step in a series of violent breach of democracy and another attempt by this government to stifle the dissenting voice and opinions of the people in the State, after the recent force used on teachers.
“These actions will only make us more emboldened and more actions from our side will follows in the days to come,” the HYC general secretary added.
