The state government should not cave in to any pressure but should deal with law and order disturbances with an iron fist, South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai said today.
The press statement was issued to condemn the incident where a petrol bomb was thrown at the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar last week.
Shullai said that such an act could create a fear psychosis among the population and the state should deal with the situation with “an iron fist so that no further escalation” takes place.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA said that his party will “not tolerate any practice of hate crime in society.”
The attack on the Dhar residence followed after several members of the Khasi Students Union (KSU) were arrested by police on suspicion of involvement in three murders of non-tribals that have rocked the state in the last few weeks. The KSU has threatened to create law and order problems if more of its members are arrested.
“Police should be allowed to do their job and the law should take its natural course in delivery of justice to those affected,” Shullai, whose constituency is a mixed one, said. “No organisation in their right mind should shield such individuals who are involved in heinous crimes in society.”
The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution affords protections to the tribal population of Meghalaya, so the indigenous citizens “should not be misguided due to false propaganda spread by a few vested hate minds.”
Reiterating a concern of state BJP spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang yesterday, Shullai said that violent acts like these could hurt Meghalaya’s image and deter tourists, which would have a grave impact on the state’s economy.
The MLA called for political parties across the spectrum to stand up for law and order and against violence. “We cannot be mute spectators every time and be controlled by anti-social elements,” he added. “The government has the mandate of the people and is the custodian of the state so it should restore the sense of security among the citizens of the state.”
