IF Meghalaya Chief Minister D. D. Lapang thought that acceptance of State Level Committee report would bail him out of trouble, he was mistaken. The government decision must have pacified Khasi Hills, but Garos have categorically stated that the report is unacceptable.

Without stopping there, Garos have already taken up agitaional programmes. They began a non-cooperation movement on September 14. The Garo Students’ Union (GSU), which is spearheading the non co-operation movement in Garo Hills, has accused the State Government of being step-motherly in its attitude towards Garo people. GSU president Andreas T Sangma said “the State Government has once gain shown step motherly attitude, why they should do this as the government machinery is supposed to look after the welfare of all the sections of people without being partial.”We have asked the government to review the MBOSE report of the SLC as we found that more powers are bestowed on the MBOSE’s Shillong office.”

“We told the government that there is no point in appointing too many directors and officers there by diluting the powers of the MBOSE’s headquarter,” Mr. Sangma said.

Meanwhile, the KSU felt that the government should be firm and not yield to the demands made by Garos.

KSU president Samuel Jyrwa stressed that the MBOSE report did not indicate the bifurcation of the board as projected by NGOs in Garo Hills. According to him, suggestions made by SLC are to strengthen the Shillong regional office.

KSU president further said that there was no justification on the stand of the Garo Hills NGOs with regard to the powers and functions of the MBOSE’s Shillong Regional Office. “The regional office caters to the needs of the Khasi and Jaintia Students - and the Shillong office does not affect the functioning of MBOSE headquarters in Tura” he observed.

“We are demanding our own rights with regard to MBOSE, we are not trampling upon the rights of others”, he clarified and advised GSU and Garo Hills Citizens’ Forum not to be adamant on their attitude towards the recommendations of the SLC report.

Meanwhile, leaders of various denominations of the Church in Garo Hills have made an attempt to break the deadlock between the Meghalaya Government and the Garo Students Union. The Church leaders,   in their effort to bring the GSU leaders to the negotiating   table met Deputy Chief Minister     Dr Mukul Sangma, for a closed-door discussion on the SLC report. According to them, the ongoing agitation throughout Garo Hills is seriously affecting the economy of the region. Members of the Church expressed their apprehensions over the ongoing agitation in Garo Hills and sought clarification from the Minister about the report.

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