A black-flag bike rally organised by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in Shillong over various issues including reforms in government recruitment turned violent on Wednesday, with several vehicles damaged, people allegedly assaulted and government property vandalised across parts of the city, police said.
Three senior KSU leaders in Meghalaya, including the union's president, have been charged under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), in connection with the violence and alleged damage to public property, assault on civilians and other offences.
According to police, at least 31 vehicles were damaged during the rally and people walking on the streets were allegedly beaten up. At least two government vehicles were also set ablaze as the vandalism allegedly continued into the night, officials said.
Statues of Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the city were allegedly vandalised during the procession. The colony was established for people who fled erstwhile East Pakistan in the 1960s.
The rally passed through several parts of Shillong as KSU members staged a protest over a five-point charter of demands. The student body has been pressing for implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, reforms in recruitment through the Meghalaya Public Service Commission and District Selection Committees, and stricter regulation of migrant workers.
The KSU has also raised concerns over the recruitment of nurses at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), demanding changes to the recruitment process.
Separately, the union has opposed the manner in which a public hearing was conducted for Shree Cement Ltd's proposed limestone mining project at Lum Syrman in East Jaintia Hills. It has demanded that the proceedings be declared null and void.
During the protest, KSU members also reached the main gate of the Meghalaya Secretariat and put up flags. Police personnel later removed the flags.
The violence escalated as the rally moved through the city, with vehicles attacked and partially damaged. Police and security personnel were subsequently deployed at several locations to prevent further incidents.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Wailadmiki Shylla urged the students to opt for dialogue, saying the government was ready to listen to their concerns and hold discussions.
“I want to make it very clear that the government is open for discussion. We are ready to listen, deliberate and have a dialogue, and I think that is the way forward. So, I urge the student union to come forward and have a dialogue with the government,” the minister said.
The KSU had earlier issued a 15-day ultimatum to the state government, warning of agitation if its demands were not addressed. It subsequently announced the black-flag bike rally across Shillong.
Source: India Today