Former Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong has lambasted the Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) for his remarks against the inhabitants of Mukroh.
Recently, KAAC CEM Tuliram Ronghang said that the village, the scene of last month’s Mukroh Massacre, falls under Karbi Anglong district of Assam and termed the Khasi-Pnar residents of the village as “illegal settlers”.
Yesterday, Lanong hit back, telling Highland Post, “The Khasi-Pnar villagers were in Mukroh village when Ronghang was not even born. So who is this man and what is his identity? Just by the names of the villagers it is clear that they are not illegal settlers.”
Five villagers were shot dead by Assam police who had crossed the border between the two states to ostensibly chase after timber smugglers. The police then ended up detaining farmers from the area and were confronted by others when they opened fire on the crowd.
“If Ronghang does not understand what documentary evidences are that are all there since 1951 then I doubt if he is an Indian or not himself,” Lanong added. “This is the reason I keep stressing to look for historical and documentary facts.”
In 1951 Assam split off Block 1 and 2 areas from Khasi-Jaintia Hills and these blocks remained with Assam when Meghalaya was created in 1972.
