The imposition of a 10pm closure order on all businesses in Shillong is nothing more than a confession by the authorities that they are incapable of maintaining law and order, Khun Hynñiewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) leader Thomas Passah said today.
The order he was referring to was the recent one passed by the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills following a spate of late night incidents of violence in the city committed by unruly, sometimes drunken, groups.
“As per this order, the state government is loudly making a statement that the state police and its machinery cannot ensure the safety of the public and the only way to ensure law and order is to lock people inside their homes,” Passah said.
Terming it as a cowardly step taken by the government and the DC, he said that due to unemployment, many households are trying to earn a living by selling eatables at night at Khyndailad, Laitumkhrah, etc just to be able to make ends meet.
“Now just because of some drunken quarrel and to hide the failure of the police department to tackle it, it is not justified to force people to stop earning for their needs. Another important point is that, why close the petty food shops, why not close the pubs and clubs where people gather to be intoxicated. We do not think that eating a plate of rice at 11pm in Khyndailad or Laitumkhrah intoxicates a person,” Passah stated.
KHNAM has demanded that the government revoke the order, failing which it will approach the court.
