Bengali Body Seeks Protection in aftermath of Bloody Violence in Meghalaya

Shillong, March 6, 2020:

Writing to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, the All Assam Bengali Youth Students Federation on March 6, urged him to ensure the safety and security of all the people, including Bengalis, living in Meghalaya.

Ruing the threat to the "Bengali community as a whole", the body lamented that the bringing of religion into the matter "appears to be an approach with ulterior motive by anti-Indian mischief mongers and disruptive forces and is required to be dealt with heavy hands".

The Bengali body also pointed out that thousands of "religiously persecuted" Garos from East Pakistan, mostly Christians took shelter in Meghalaya, and added that that the Hindus are not the only persecuted communities in Meghalaya. The body also added that 20,000 garos who crossed the border during the exodus of migrants from the erstwhile East Pakistan, were Roman Catholics (as pointed out by a certain Father Buccieri, an Italian Priest).

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Citing a speech given by Minister of Rehabilitation Mahabir Tyagi in Parliament in which which he had said that "it is unfortunately motivated to talk about only the Bengali Hindus as refugees who came to Meghalaya, the Bengali youth forum called upon the CM to restore "peace and normalcy" in the State.

This memorandum to the Chief Minister comes in the wake of tensions in Meghalaya's Ichimati area which occurred in the aftermath of an anti-CAA meeting organized by the Khasi Students' Union (KSU). Not long after, a person was killed in scuffles. Tensions prevailed in Shillong on the subsequent day when multiple stabbings were reported from the Bara Bazar area.

Not long afterwards, the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), an extremist group, issued an ultimatum to all the Hindu-Bengalis to leave Ichamati and Majai areas at Shella in East Khasi Hills within one month.

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