By Augusten Blah
Before We Take Sides, Let Us First Understand the Truth. Shillong needs facts, restraint and leadership, not another battle of narratives. Shillong is going through a deeply concerning moment. Associations and pressure groups are taking to the streets, speaking about their rights, their concerns and their demands. On the other side, communities and individuals are naturally coming forward to protect their own people and defend their interests. Emotions are high. Political opinions are becoming sharper. Social media is filling rapidly with accusations, counter-accusations, videos, interpretations and claims. But at a moment such as this, perhaps the most important question we must ask ourselves is: Do we actually know the whole truth? Before we blame one organisation, one community, one political party, one group of people or one side of the argument, we must first understand what happened, why it happened, when it began, where the failure occurred and who is responsible. Facts must be unearthed. Who is who? What is what? What happened first? What triggered the situation? What were the original demands? Were those demands legitimate? Were the concerns communicated to the Government through the proper channels? What response was given? Where did dialogue fail? Who crossed the line? Who damaged public property? Who attacked innocent people? Who provoked whom? Were there individuals who exploited a genuine public issue for their own purposes? And most importantly, what evidence do we have?
These are not questions meant to defend anyone. They are questions that must be answered if we genuinely want justice. Rights are important, but so is responsibility. Every citizen has the right to express grievances. Democratic societies must allow people to protest, organise, speak and demand accountability from those in power. But the right to protest cannot become a licence to intimidate. The right to defend one’s community cannot become a justification for attacking another. The right to disagree cannot become a justification for violence. And the responsibility of maintaining peace cannot rest only upon ordinary citizens. It must also be borne by political leaders, pressure groups, civil society, community leaders and the Government. There can be no selective morality. If a citizen commits violence, the law must act. If a pressure-group member commits violence, the law must act. If a political worker commits violence, the law must act. If a public official abuses authority, the law must act. The identity of the person must never determine the application of justice. Let us not make the mistake of blaming pressure groups without understanding the facts.
Pressure groups have historically played an important role in Meghalaya’s public life. Many issues concerning indigenous rights, employment, land, migration, environment and social justice have been brought into public consciousness because people organised themselves and demanded answers. That role should not simply be dismissed. At the same time, no organisation, however respected, influential or historically significant, should be placed above accountability. A legitimate cause does not make every method legitimate. This distinction is extremely important.
We can acknowledge genuine concerns while condemning violence. We can support indigenous rights while protecting innocent citizens. We can demand stronger laws while insisting that those laws be implemented constitutionally. We can question the Government without destroying public property. We can defend our identity without creating hatred against another community. That is what mature democracy demands from us. And let us also be careful about the other extreme.
There is another danger. When tensions rise, people can very quickly begin defending “their own” without first asking whether what was done was right. That is equally dangerous. Community loyalty is natural. But justice cannot be based on community identity. If someone from our own community is wrong, we must have the courage to say so. If someone from another community is being wrongly targeted, we must have the courage to defend that person. That is not betrayal. That is integrity. Our loyalty to Meghalaya must be greater than our loyalty to any temporary political position. We must find out where this started.
The present situation should not be viewed only through the events of one day. There is a larger story behind every protest. There are grievances that may have accumulated for years. There may have been assurances that were not fulfilled. There may have been administrative failures. There may have been political disagreements. There may have been genuine fears among sections of society. All of this needs to be examined. A serious Government should not merely ask, “Who created the disturbance?” It should also ask: “Why did people feel compelled to come onto the streets in the first place?” At the same time, those leading public movements must ask themselves: “Are our methods strengthening our cause or destroying the very public sympathy we seek?” These questions require courage from both sides.
Politics must not divide people who must live together. Political differences can create deep divisions. But elections pass. Political campaigns end. Governments change. Leaders come and go. Political parties rise and fall. But our neighbours remain. Our communities remain. Our children grow up together. Our markets, schools, workplaces and churches remain. The person standing across the political divide from us today may still be the person who helps us tomorrow. A political disagreement should never be allowed to destroy a human relationship. We must learn to separate the person from the political position. We must listen before judging. We must disagree without dehumanising. We must search for common ground. And above all, we must remember that Meghalaya is bigger than any political party, pressure group, association or individual leader. Shillong cannot afford another cycle of anger.
The images and reports emerging from the recent disturbances should concern every responsible citizen. When vehicles are damaged, public property is destroyed, innocent people are injured or ordinary citizens become afraid to travel through their own city, the consequences go far beyond the immediate incident. It affects businesses. It affects workers. It affects students. It affects patients. It affects families. It affects tourism. It affects Meghalaya’s reputation. And ultimately, it affects the very people whose rights we claim to be protecting. This is why leadership is needed, not leadership that simply speaks the loudest, but leadership that knows when to speak, when to listen and when to step back from the edge. To our people: do not allow social media to become your court of law.
We are living in an age where a 20-second video can become a verdict before the full story is known. A photograph can be taken out of context. An old video can be presented as a new incident. A rumour can become “fact” within minutes. And once anger takes over, truth becomes secondary. So let us ask before forwarding, sharing or condemning: Is it verified? Who recorded it? When was it recorded? Where was it recorded? What happened before and after that particular moment? Has an independent authority confirmed it? We owe this much to our society.
To the Government: give the people facts. The Government also has a responsibility. Silence creates speculation. Incomplete information creates rumours. Delayed information creates suspicion. The people deserve a clear account of what happened, what investigations have established, what action has been taken and what steps are being taken to prevent further escalation. If mistakes were made, acknowledge them. If officials failed, investigate them. If protesters committed offences, prosecute them according to law. If innocent people were targeted, protect them. If genuine grievances exist, address them. Transparency is not a weakness. Accountability is not surrender.
To pressure groups and associations: protect the credibility of your cause. A movement is judged not only by what it demands but also by how it conducts itself. If the cause is just, let the facts speak. If the demands are legitimate, let democratic pressure strengthen them. If the Government has failed, expose that failure with evidence. But do not allow a few individuals to turn a legitimate movement into violence, because when violence enters the picture, the original issue can disappear behind the destruction. The strongest movement is not necessarily the loudest. It is the movement that remains disciplined when emotions are at their highest.
To every political leader: this is the moment for statesmanship. This is not the time to calculate political advantage. It is not the time to ask, “Which side will benefit me politically?” It is time to ask: “What will protect Meghalaya’s future?” Political leaders have a special responsibility because their words carry weight. A careless statement can inflame. A responsible statement can calm you down. A political speech can divide. A statesmanlike intervention can unite. Our people deserve the second. We must choose Meghalaya over the moment. We cannot allow one incident to become a permanent wound between communities. We cannot allow political differences to become social hatred. We cannot allow legitimate grievances to become justification for violence. And we cannot allow fear to replace facts. Let us investigate. Let us listen. Let us ask a question. Let us hold the Government accountable. Let us hold organisations accountable. Let us hold political leaders accountable. Let the law take its course without fear or favour. But let us also hold ourselves accountable. Because the future of Shillong will not be determined only inside the Secretariat, the police headquarters, political offices or the streets. It will also be determined by how ordinary citizens respond at this difficult hour. Our message should be simple. Know before you judge. Understand before you condemn. Listen before you speak. Question before you believe. Stand for justice, regardless of who is involved. Protect your community without hating another. Defend your rights without violating the rights of others. And when political differences threaten to divide us, remember: Governments change. Elections pass. Political parties come and go. But we remain neighbours, fellow citizens and fellow human beings.
Shillong does not need another battle between “us” and “them”. Shillong needs the truth. It needs responsible leadership. It needs courage without hatred. It needs justice without discrimination. It needs protest without violence. It needs a government without arrogance. And above all, it needs citizens who are wise enough to understand that unity does not mean agreeing with one another, it means refusing to destroy one another because we disagree. At this critical juncture, let us not ask only, “Whose side are you on?” Let us ask the question that matters far more: “What is the truth and what is the right thing to do for Meghalaya?”
