Tura, July 17: Jagdish Chelani, the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills, has called the statement by protestors on indefinite hunger strike led by A’chik Conscious Holistically Integrated Krima (ACHIK) as an ‘unjustified and wrong statement’ that has been made by the group wherein they have accused the district administration and the government of not responding to their demands or calling them for talks.

ACHIK members with the support of other pressure groups have been holding an indefinite hunger strike opposite the mini-secretariat in Tura for the last 7 days, demanding for winter capital in Tura and retrospective implementation of the roster system.

After visiting the protestors on Monday, Chelani said an assistant commissioner has been placed at the venue 24×7 every day since the start of the protest, along with a doctor and magistrate available at a call. “We have specifically assigned one assistant commissioner every day at the start of the event. When this started on the very first and second day, in fact, for the starting five days there were less than ten number of people and we still had a magistrate and a doctor on call for this entire event along with an ambulance,” he informed while vehemently refuting the allegations.

He said the crowd started growing only on Sunday and Monday as more people joined the protesting groups. “Only yesterday, and I believe it being a Sunday, had some people gathered over here and today there has been gathering because we had already announced that I’ll be personally visiting to discuss with this matter. So neither of us has been ignoring this matter ever. Hon’ble CM Sir has been taking a stock of the situation every day. They’ve been discussing about what is happening with the group, how is their health, what kind of activities are being going on by the group,” he said.

He also shared that the district administration had called leaders of ACHIK on the very second day of their protest when they extended their protest beyond the permissible time. The district has even gone so far as to meet the heads of three pressure groups that joined the protest only on Sunday to discuss the matter.

“So the very second day and the 6th day and the third (meeting on) seventh day; within seven days period we have met them along with assistant commissioner from the very first day. So, I believe administration has not been far away in conversation with them. This, I believe, was an unjustified and wrong statement that was made earlier by the group,” he stressed.

Also read: ACHIK indefinite hunger strike: DC says hunger strike illegal, warns of legal action

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