Shillong: Panel against relocation of Punjabis
Manjit Rai says Sikhs are living peacefully in Sweeper Colony for over 100 years and situation will be peaceful in a few days
Largely giving approval to the way the Meghalaya government has protected the Punjabi population during the recent unrest in Shillong, National Commission for Minorities member Manjit Singh Rai on Wednesday said that it is “not feasible” to move the Punjabi residents of Sweeper Colony to another part of the city.
SHILLONG: Largely giving approval to the way the Meghalaya government has protected the Punjabi population during the recent unrest in Shillong, National Commission for Minorities member Manjit Singh Rai on Wednesday said that it is “not feasible” to move the Punjabi residents of Sweeper Colony to another part of the city, which was the chief demand of the agitators.
“The (Punjabi) community is living peacefully and the situation will be normal within a few days,” Rai said after holding meetings with the state government functionaries here. When asked about the demand made by local groups to relocate the Sweeper Colony residents to a new location, Rai said the Sikhs have been living there for more than 100 years and “it is not feasible to relocate someone to another place”.
Rai called on chief minister Conrad Sangma, who assured him that the government machinery is in place to ensure safety for everyone. Rai also reviewed the law and order situation with senior state officials and the director general of police SB Singh. Earlier in the day, Rai had also visited the Sweeper Colony to interact with local Sikh population there earlier in the day.
The high-level committee headed by deputy CM Prestone Tynsong asked the departments to submit all relevant records and documents relating to the land at Sweeper Colony in a week. The panel was constituted by the government to try and placate the angry mobs that besieged parts of the city.
After its first sitting held here , Tynsong said, “We have directed the Shillong m, municipal board, urban affairs department and law department to submit all documents and court cases relating to the land within this week for the committee to study in detail on the matter.” The solution to the Sweeper Colony issue is unlikely to be an easy one to find, however.
The acting syiem (traditional chieftain) of Hima Mylliem said that land documents were given on “humanitarian grounds” for the construction of two temples, a gurdwara and a school in Sweeper Colony in 2009.