SHILLONG: BJP legislator Sanbor Shullai has written to Assam Health Minister and senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma seeking his intervention to withdraw an FIR filed against Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) president Lambokstar Marngar in Cachar district. The FIR has been filed against Margnar by Amitesh Chakraborty, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president of Cachar district in Assam. The FIR was filed after the KSU hoisted posters targeting the Bengalee community in the State, dubbing “all Bengalees residing in Meghalaya as Bangladeshis.”
Communal tension in the State Capital has cropped up after alleged “institutional harassment” of minorities living along the Indo-Bangla border in Ichamati and adjoining villages in East Khasi Hills district. Shullai in his letter to Sarma said the incident at Ichamati occurred “after the murder of KSU member Lurshai Hynniewta,” earlier this year and still continues to be the centre of attention and the reason for the current unpleasant and unwanted developments. “An incident like this, that unfortunately happened at Ichamati should have been prevented and avoided at all cost. This has led to an uneasy calm in Shillong,” he added.
Shullai said that the incident is a state affair and involvement or influence of elements from outside the state is not required.
“The matter is a local concern and should be best resolved peacefully by involving all the stakeholders of the state. All genuine non-tribals of the state have always been supportive of all local issues and have been living in harmony with the tribals for generations,” Shullai said.
He added that the northeastern states have raised collective concern against the influx of illegal migrants and a “misunderstanding on such fragile issues can jeopardise peace” among the generation-old genuine non-tribals of the state.
“The non-tribals of the state have been living in harmony with the Khasis, Jaintias and Garo tribes who themselves are highly peace- loving by nature. Thus, as a responsible MLA of the BJP, I would request the president of BJYM’s Cachar district committee to kindly withdraw the FIR in the best interest of the people of the state,” Shullai added.
He also requested Chakraborty to withdraw the FIR “in the best interest of the people, state and the party.” Shullai added that he as a legislator has always raised his voice in order to protect the interests of the tribals and also to safeguard the interest of the genuine non- tribals.
“The matter is of serious concern and would require your kind intervention to ensure that peace and communal harmony prevails in the state,” the BJP legislator said.
