The violence in Shillong shouldn’t surprise anyone

The tendency to view settlers as outsiders is not characteristic of Meghalaya alone

The ongoing violence in Shillong with the local Khasis pitted against Mazhabi Sikh settlers is not without precedent. In 1979, it was the Bengalis who faced the ire of the locals and later in 1987, the Nepalis and Biharis were forced to flee the town. The latest trouble began when an altercation between a Khasi bus driver and Sikh women careened out of control which was initially contained by the police. But a Whatsapp message to the effect that some Khasi boys had been killed by the Sikhs saw the hostilities flare up to the point of the army having to be called in. The land occupied by the Punjabis who were brought in by the British in the 19th century has been a source of tension for some time now.

The resourceful Punjabis have invited the wrath of locals who feel that jobs are being taken away by outsiders. This sentiment is driven by the fact that economic space is limited in Meghalaya and there is little by way of job generation.

The tendency to view settlers who have lived in a locality for generations as outsiders is not characteristic of Meghalaya alone, it is seen across India. The other problem which is likely to increase unless checked is the dissemination of fake news on social media platforms. In Shillong, fake messages led to the localised incident snowballing into large scale violence. This must be curbed at all cost. The new government of Conrad Sangma is on test here and so far, despite attempts to effect a reconciliation between the two sides, its performance has not been encouraging.