Shillong, May 7: Expressing disappointment with the MoU on boundary settlement between Meghalaya and Assam, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Friday organized a public meeting at Bakhlapara village under Hima Nongspung in Ri Bhoi and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong as a mark to register their protest against the boundary agreement between the two states.

The meeting mainly opposed the MoU signed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma with his Assam counterpart in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to finalize the boundary settlement in 6 areas of difference under the first phase and also slammed the Regional Committees for submitting reports without any proper verification of land as per the land documents and historical facts.

Led by the HYC chief Robert Kharjarin and accompanied by the leaders both from the Central body and Ri Bhoi District, the meeting was conducted at Bakhalapara village, which was attended by the traditional chief of Hima Jirang, Hima Nongspung and local headmen along with the local residents where they strongly opposed the MoU signed and demanded for review of the MoU before finalizing the boundary settlement.

Amid large gathering of local residents and the traditional chiefs and headmen, the HYC also burnt effigies of Sangma and Tynsong and blamed them that MoU was signed blindly without any consultation with the Raid, Hima and land owners and put them aside for their political gain.

Speaking at the meeting, Kharjarin strongly denounced the decision taken by the state government in the first phase of boundary settlement and said that the HYC will not accept the MoU.

“The traditional chiefs of Raid, Hima, Village and landowners should not be neglected on this boundary settlement and they know much better of their own jurisdiction as per the land documents and historical facts” said Robert Kharjarin, adding that the government had signed the MoU without respecting them.

He further stated that the HYC will continue to support the Raid, Hima, village and land owners to fight for the justice as the agreement was signed without their consent.