Five days after violence broke out in Shillong following a rally organised by the Khasi Studentsā€™ Union (KSU), Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Sunday issued his first detailed statement on the situation, saying the government would take the strictest possible action against those responsible while remaining open to dialogue.
Addressing the media in Shillong on August 24, Sangma said the law would take its course without exception as investigations continued into the violence, blockades and alleged harassment reported following the August 19 rally.
Sangma also explained his absence from the state when the violence broke out, saying he had been required to attend national-level engagements that had been scheduled before the incidents. He said the administration continued to function as a team, with Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home Prestone Tynsong, the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other senior officials monitoring the situation.
The Chief Minister said he remained in regular communication with officials and that decisions were being taken continuously to respond to developments on the ground.
On allegations of an intelligence failure, Sangma said the term had become a common expression during crises. He said intelligence agencies had been monitoring developments, but the scale, speed and geographical spread of the disturbances had created operational challenges.
He said the government had acted on assurances that the KSU rally would remain peaceful, but acknowledged that the scale of the subsequent violence had caught the authorities off guard.
Sangma said suspects had already been identified and detentions were under way. The government, he added, would review the terms and conditions governing permissions for such gatherings.
Responding to KSU leaders who have denied the involvement of their members in the violence, Sangma said the investigation would establish individual responsibility and that the law would apply to anyone found responsible, irrespective of their organisation.
He stressed that peaceful protest was a democratic right, but said it could not extend to intimidating or harming innocent people. At the same time, he reiterated that the government remained open to dialogue to address grievances through peaceful and democratic means.
Meanwhile, the Shillong-Guwahati route, which witnessed closures and alleged harassment of passengers, tourists and those providing essential services, appeared normal on Sunday after the Meghalaya and Assam tourist taxi driversā€™ associations called off their respective blockades following meetings with representatives of the two state governments.
The easing of the blockade has brought some relief to travellers and transport operators after several days of disruption.
With the immediate situation showing signs of returning to normal, the focus is now on the ongoing investigation, accountability for those responsible and restoring public confidence.
