KHNAM bundled out

**KHNAM leader forcefully being taken to a waiting bus during its strike on Monday. Pix by WT Lytan**

SHILLONG, SEPT 9: An hour after it staged the hunger strike in front of the state central library as part of its agitation to protest against the state government’s refusal to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, East Khasi hills district magistrates and police on Monday forcible bundled the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) members in a waiting bus and took them to Madan Iewrynghep.

Earlier the East Khasi hills district administration and police had asked the protestors to vacate the place as holding of agitation is not allowed in front of the library.

The administration instead directed KHNAM to hold their hunger strike at Madan Iewrynghep (Fire Brigade) ground as the state central library is located near the main secretariat.

Security in and around the secretariats- main and additional- were tightened as policemen were seen guarding the gates of both the power centers of the state government.

The district administration also kept a bus ready to carry the protestors to another location.

Over hundred people including the KHNAM president Pyndapbor Saibon, working president, Adilbert Nongrum and MDCs of the KHADC refused to listen to the plea of the district administration and the police. For an hour they squatted themselves in front of the state central library bang opposite the SP office and shouted slogan.

Later the protestors were forcibly drag inside the bus by the police and were taken to Madan Iewrynghep (Fire brigade).

A magistrate said, “We have asked them to hold their agitation at Fire Brigade since they are not allowed to hold it near the main secretariat.”

Nongrum said the strike is to air the party’s protest against the adamant attitude of the state government in implementation the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and also failure to address the grievances of the teachers in the state.

Nongrum informed that the KHNAM would decide later on its next course of agitation if the state government continues to ignore its demands on the two issues.- By Our Reporter