Shillong, Nov 10: “Are democratic protests declared illegal in the state of Meghalaya? Are we living in a democracy or in a police state?” – questioned a placard displayed during a surprise protest staged by the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) in the city on Thursday.

The protest was against the police action on its members – who protested peacefully against the government’s failure to fulfill the nine-point demands that include implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) at Rambrai in West Khasi Hills district on Wednesday– and against the imposition of section 144 CrPC, which bans assembly of more than five persons, in the entire Shillong city.

Activists of the HYC gathered in front of the U Kiang Nangbah statue at Civil Hospital junction and started shouting slogans and displaying placards to condemn the police highhandedness that led tom injury of three members.

Speaking to reporters, general secretary of the Council, Roykupar Synrem, said they highly condemn the police action at Rambrai. He said the members of the Rambrai circle as part of the ‘Save Hynniewtrep Mission’ were holding placards to ask the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma as to what had happened to the nine-point demands put forth before his government.

However, when the members reached the place where the CM was supposed to pass through to inaugurate the Rambrai C&RD block, the police forcefully took away all the placards and flags of the organization and, during the confrontation, three members were injured.

“Therefore, we came to protest to send a clear message to this government that the HYC will not be threatened by these actions of the police and the magistrates or the government as we will not keep our mouth shut to demand the rights of our people,” Synrem said.

Stating that the HYC will further intensify its agitation, the general secretary said, “And this promulgation of 144 CrPC will not keep us away from organizing these kinds of protest in the city from today, and in the next few days these types of protests will keep on happening till this government takes our demands seriously and whatever we are demanding they should be implemented as soon as possible.”

Inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, relocation of the Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong, addressing unemployment issue are some of the other demands under the Save Hynniewtrep Mission.