The opposition today cornered the MDA government over the excessive use of force and brutality by police in recent public protests in the State.
Moving a special motion on police brutality during the public hearing of Meghalaya Cements Ltd at Thangskai, East Jaintia Hills recently, Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang questioned if the residents of the State are living under colonial rule.
Accusing the government of mistreating people, Marbaniang said that the people who were injured in the incident must be compensated. He also said that the police used to claim only about the injuries of police personnel but failed to acknowledge the injuries of many civilians in the incident.
According to Marbaniang, the incident at Thangskai is similar to the incident in Mawlai on August 13, 2021 where former HNLC leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew was killed by police in an alleged encounter at his house.
Marbaniang recalled that the inquiry commission itself has termed the action of the police team that raided Thangkhiew’s residence as thoughtless and excessive use of force.
Lamenting that even women protesters were not spared by police, he added that it is the fundamental right of people to protest peacefully.
Supporting the motion, North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum even named the police officers involved in beating up protesters including women during the Thangskai incident.
Slamming the East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police (SP), Nongrum said that the SP was using languages like “Maar de….khatam kar de saale ko.” Nongrum also said it was the same SP who had led the poorly executed operation that led to the killing of Thangkhiew in Mawlai
Nongthymmai MLA Charles Pyngrope questioned if social impact assessment was done to assess if the acquisition of more land for expansion of Meghalaya Cements Ltd factory at Thangskai would have direct impact on people or not.
He also said that the East Jaintia Hills district administration should have prior information on what would have happened if the public hearing took place.
“This hearing should have been stopped and the planned acquisition should have been discussed further through social impact assessment,” Nongrum added.
Nongkrem MLA Ardent M. Basaiawmoit while taking part in the debate said that the Meghalaya police was getting emboldened to use excessive force and brutality as the government failed to rein in the police force.
He also questioned if the police was bribed by Meghalaya Cements Ltd to ensure that there is no protest for the expansion plan of the company.
In his reply, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong sad that the police had tried to control the protesters at the public hearing at Thangskai but all attempts failed.
“Given the gravity of the situation and the risk it posed to public safety, the police had no option but to use reasonable force to contain the violent mob,” he added.
Tynsong also said that the MDA government is the most accommodative government whose doors for discussions are always open on any issue. He however said that when the government becomes too accommodative some people try to take advantage.
