Meghalaya: Bengali community refutes allegations of mistreatment at Majai

SHILLONG

The Bengali community residing along Majai area which falls under the Shella-Bholaganj Block in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya has refuted allegations of being mistreated and harassed by the local populace.

Over the past few days, an air of tension gripped the hilly state of Meghalaya with social media posts claiming that non-tribals especially the Bengali community are living in fear in the state due to the alleged high-handedness of the local and traditional authorities including the pressure groups.

Reacting to the allegations levelled by some individuals via representations to the state and central authorities and, also social media posts, representatives of the Bengali community of Majai area (under which Ichamati falls) termed the allegations as "false" and "baseless".

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"We are getting pan card, Aadhaar card and other benefits. What these three individuals wrote and alleged is wrong. We are living peacefully with the local people. Their allegations that our shops are closed is also not true. 95 per cent of the shops run by the non-tribals in the area is opened," said Secretary of New Majai, Naresh Chandra S.

It may be recalled that three individuals – Prantush Sarkar, Mridul Das and Binayak Roy, had submitted a representation to the Governor on October 15 along with copies to President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah alleging mistreatment to the Bengali community in Majai area.

After the allegations went viral on social media, attracting the attention of people from outside the state, the Chieftain of Hima Sohra (traditional head), M Syiem held an emergency meeting with the leaders of Majai area, which included representatives of the Bengali community, to understand the ground reality.

The Majai area falls under the jurisdiction of Hima Sohra in East Khasi Hills.

"After hearing their views, we understand that this an attempt of someone to mislead the citizens of the state and the country as the allegations are not true," said the Chieftain (Syiem Khynnah) of Hima Sohra, M Syiem.

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The representatives further stated that peace and co-operation between the various people living in and around Majai exists as it has always been since the old days.

Meanwhile, the president of the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), Lambokstar Marngar, on October 26, claimed that certain groups are trying to project the KSU and the Khasi people as anti-non-tribals.

Marngar said that allegations made by such groups are false since the alleged anti-non-tribal incident never occurred while expressing disappointment over the attempt of some groups to create communal tension in the state.

"They (rumour mongers) are trying to mislead the people of mainland India and the government of India. To say that the KSU and the entire Khasi community is anti-non-tribals is unacceptable," Marngar said.

The fact of the matter is that the groups representing the non-tribal community are trying to wreck harmony between tribals and non-tribals by citing the Ichamati incident which had taken place earlier this year in which a member of the Khasi Students’ Union lost his life, he added.