Khasi Students’ Union allegedly locks Shillong Ramakrishna Mission; reactions pour in

Nov. 29: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has allegedly locked the main gate of Shillong Ramakrishna Mission on last Monday, leading to great resentment among the people across the country. As per reports, there was a festival (Seng Kut Snem) of the Khasi community of Meghalaya on last Monday. However, the charm of the festivities evaporated when a section of the Khasi students locked the main gate of Ramakrishna Mission situated at Jail Road, Shillong. This was alleged by Sadhan Purkayastha, Secretary, Assam State Committee of ‘Amora Bangalee.’

Sadhan Purkayastha in a press release further stated that the communal feelings among the Khasi Students’ Union has reached to such heights that they went to the extent of targeting Ramakrishna Mission, whose founder Swami Vivekananda is held in high esteem throughout the world for his magnanimity. He further alleged that on last Monday, when the Khasi community were celebrating one of their festivals, a group of youths demanded that when all offices and institutes were closed for the festival, the Ramakrishna Mission should also be closed. As such, they forcibly locked the gates of Shillong Ramakrishna Mission.

Reacting to the incident, Deboja Sumanta, President Youth Brigade Seva Dal said, “I condemn the Khasi Students’ Union for locking the gate of Ramkrishna Mission, Shillong. The man who showed the path of service to all human beings, who told service of mankind is the service of God is now being insulted. Ramakrishna Mission Shillong have contributed so much towards the development of Khasi people are now themselves the target of Khasi Students’ Union. The man who loved all religions, his temple is under danger today in Shillong. Shame on Khasi Students Union.”

In a Facebook Page ‘The Voice of Ramakrishna Mission, Guwahati’, one of its group member wrote, “Ramakrishna Mission, Vivekananda Youth Centre threatened by KSU goons. They forced closed the centre and locked it’s main gate. ….terror in Shillong.” Another member of this group raised the demand that the “Government of India must play a proactive role to stop such absolute nonsense.”

Expressing his views on a Facebook Post in this connection, Dr. Jashobanta Roy, an alumni of NEHU, Shillong and retired Principal of Radhamadhab College, Silchar wrote, “This is indeed a shameful incident and I condemn it in strict terms. Government needs to interfere and stop such incidents.”

Sadhan Purkayastha also criticised this act of intolerance and said that in the recent past the Khasi Students’ Association also put up banners against the Bengalis residing in Meghalaya and termed them as ‘Bangladeshis.’ He further said that “legal action needs to be initiated against such actions of the Khasi Students’ Union.”