Shillong, August 17: The President of the Khasi Students’ Union, Lambokstarwell Marngar has raised a question directed at the Indian Government if the Khasis will be recognised as indigenous people, and added that in the few days before the 15th of August, the tricolour was seen to have been put up in every household and even in cattle sheds too the tricolour could be seen being put up.
He said that he is not against the Indian Government but the question arises, whether the Indian will recognise us as indigenous people, whether it has accepted the issues of demand of the indigenous people.
The North East Students’ Union Organisation (NESO) has revived the Demand to scrap the Citizenship Amendment Act,2019 (CAA) in all the north-eastern states. On this day the sit-in demonstration was held in Shillong by the Khasi Students’ Union which is a member of the NESO with the FKJGP, HNYF, JSU and other pressure groups also taking part. In this demonstration demands of the State including the implementation of the Inner Line Permit, scrapping of the CAA and also the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
The President of the KSU, Central body also said that this kind of ideology to oppress rights has continued till date by the Indian Government, however he said that this process of demanding for their rights will continue without rest and if not today or tomorrow, one day it shall lead to fruition.
He said that fellow community members respect the tricolour of India, but will the Indian Government elevate respectfully the rights of the indigenous people, will it elevate respectfully the history of the community, and if it wants to respectfully raise the indigenous people why does it not grant the demands. He further stated that the two resolutions that the State Government has approved and forwarded to the Indian Government, the implementation of the Inner Line Permit and the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, but yet so many years have passed, it is not known what the Indian Government is doing about them.
He said that this ideology of the Indian Government shows that it wants to oppress this generation of the community through other means, and it is necessary to discuss and ask questions about the history before the community is completely subsumed into the Indian Constitution.
He said that many had said do not speak about sensitive issues, do not make anti-India statements, but he expressed that he had not said anything against the Indian nation but about the history from the ancient times of the land of the Hynñiewtrep. The KSU President further said that he will continue to raise the matter in order to serve the country and community.
With regard to the intention of the Indian Government to mine uranium and to start a railway in the State, Marngar said that railroad is not needed, what is needed are laws to safeguard, it is not important to enrich the Indian Government but it is important that the life of the country and the lives of its people, and anyone touching the matter and trying to mislead, the enthusiastic members of the community will respond to in deeds.
