To counter the claim of the police that Cherishterfield Thangkhiew had attacked them with a knife whey the authorities raided his house on August 13, which led to the ex-militant’s death, ‘Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai’ held a symbolic ‘knife surrender’ ceremony in Mawlai today.
The conglomeration of pressure groups and civil society organisations have been pressing for the suspension of the police officers involved in Thangkhiew’s death, though the government has, so far, resisted this.
Beginning from Mawlai Petrol Pump, a little later than scheduled, Thangkhiew’s family members laid down the traditional Khasi kitchen knife and they were followed by members of Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai doing the same.
The rally later passed through the streets, with residents also “surrendering” their knives along the route, which concluded at Mawlai Stand Bus where hundreds of people were present. One of these was Shillong North MLA Adelbert Nongrum, who also laid down a knife.
At the bus stand, leaders of Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai who were served with show-cause notices by the East Khasi Hills district administration for violating Covid-19 protocols in their previous public protests, burnt their copies of the notices in public.
Today was the last day for the six members of Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai to reply to the authorities in the matter. The six claimed that the show-cause notices were served only to cause fear among the public and the organisation.
Speaking at the rally, Donboklang Kharlyngdoh, president of the Hynñiewtrep Youths Council and member of the Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai, said that the objective of the rally was to mock the police department for having to shoot dead a man for allegedly carrying a kitchen knife.
He said that the MDA government led by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is not a government for the people.
“When I was a student, I read that democracy means a government of the people, by the people and for the people. But the present form of democracy in Meghalaya means a government of the MDA, by the MDA and for the MDA,” Kharlyngdoh said.
The HYC leader also slammed Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for being adamant to the demand of the people of Mawlai for suspension of the police officers involved in the killing of former HNLC general secretary Cherishterfield Thangkhiew.
“Time will come when the people will get angry and they will be compelled to beat up NPP members,” Kharlyngdoh said.
Rangbah Shnong of Mawlai Phudmuri, Sylvester Kurbah said that the MDA government is the “most corrupt government in the history of Meghalaya”.
“In the past they say that the previous Congress government was a government of thieves. But the present MDA government is a government of looters,” Kurbah said.
It is planned to deliver the knives gathered through the protest to Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma.
