Shillong, May 9: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Monday threatened to mobilize all landless Khasi people to occupy government properties if the state government succumbs to the ‘illogical’ demands of the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC).
“We have made it very clear that if the government (succumbs to the HPC’s demands) we are ready with lots of agitations. Apart from that we will also organize all landless Khasi people to occupy all government properties and we will demand to give free houses to them,” Kharjahrin told reporters after submitting a memorandum to the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
“If they can give 200 square meters to (Harijans), we will get at least 2,000 square meters of land. We have indigenous farmers who do not have lands and we also have indigenous people who do not have a place to stay,” he said.
Stating that the Harijans were never part of the hill state agitations, Kharjahrin said, “Meghalaya came into being because of our ancestors’ blood and sweat so who are they (HPC) to dictate the government.”
The HPC had demanded the government to provide 200 square meters of land to each of the 342 families in its revenue land in exchange for Them Iew Mawlong, where they are presently residing, besides construction of their homes free of cost.
Terming the demands as highly unacceptable, Kharjahrin said, “The government should totally reject the HPC’s demands as it is totally illegal and illogical. Why should the government accept such illegal demands? If people who are illegal residents on a public property asked for land from the government then first of all repeal the eviction of illegal settlers from public properties.”
Moreover, the HYC president said that the state government had recently acquired land for construction of the new Meghalaya Legislative Assembly as well as the Secretariat at the New Shillong Township by having to pay a huge amount of money so where is the question of giving free land to others.
“When the government itself has to buy land, how can you give free land to people? This is totally illogical and absurd,” he added.
