‘Bring Back AFSPA in Meghalaya’: Hindu Chatra Sangha’s protest in Silchar against mobocracy in Shillong

way2barak, Oct.30: The members of Hindu Chatra Sangha staged a protest in front of the Khudiram Bose Statue at Club Road, Silchar on Sunday. The protest was called against the recent violence in Shillong by FKJGP members and the statement by KSU on the recently released ‘Cherrapunji ki Diwali’ advertisement, where they allegedly passed slurs against the Bengali Community.

While elaborating on the issue, Subhash Choudhury said, “The incident in Shillong, where FKJGP members attacked innocent people, non-Tribals being the primary target, on the name of their rally against Unemployment is not a sudden unfortunate incident, but a continuation of a series of unfortunate incidents, contributed by several different organisations from time to time. The Meghalaya Govt has failed over the last many months and years to control such hooligans and uncivilised mobs, and they have developed the courage to mob lynch anyone due to such administrative failures only. It is time, that the AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) which was lifted from Meghalaya in 2018 is implemented again. Terrorists marching with guns in the roads of Shillong is not a very old incident. The Govt is either unwilling or not capable enough to act against the anti-social elements there. Only the implementation of AFSPA can fix back such lawlessness in the state of Meghalaya.”

Commenting on the statement by KSU, where they stated the Bengali Community as Chamchas of British, in order to protest against the Netflix ad ‘Cherrapunji ki Diwali’, Subhash said, “The Community who has sacrificed most number of lives and blood for the freedom movement in India is being called as ‘Chamchas’ of British. This signify about the lack of education and knowledge among the top brass of the KSU, who essentially lack the sense to state or argue on any logical ground but just propagate plain hatred.”

Urmik Paul, speaking on behalf of the protestors, further added that the people of Barak Valley should decide on their own, what are their responsibilities towards the Bengalis of Meghalaya. Tourism to Meghalaya or Shillong must be avoided to the greatest possible extent. It is the money we put into their pockets that runs their tourism industry to a great extent. Economic boycott is the only thing we have in our hands and we must not be reluctant to use it as well.

Aninda Dev, Ratnadeep Chakrabarty, Bijoyan Nath, Ankur Das, Shayan Nath, Biswamitra De, Debjyoti Yadav, Deep Das, Bappon Paul, Priyangshu Barman, Vishal Chanda, Saptadeep Paul, Siddharth Roy, Bhibhidipon Nath and Rajdeep Bhattacharjee were present among others on behalf of the organisation in the protest demonstration.