SHILLONG, OCT 23: Hours after being released on bail, Khasi Students Union president Raymond Kharjana said attempts to demoralise the union by raiding its office and defaming leaders on social media will fail.
Kharjana and general secretary Reuben Najiar were arrested for the August 19 violence during KSU’s black flag bike rally. They were granted bail on Friday and were taken in a procession from Shillong District Jail to the KSU office at Jaiaw.
“Jail is a big school that sharpens the mature thought of every member,” Kharjana said.
He said the jail term turned out to be a blessing as it gave them time to reflect on issues concerning the community.
“Some issues we could see and understand only because we were inside. Outside, in our busy work, we sometimes cannot see with our own eyes. Sitting there we could think about many issues that hit our community hard,” he said.
Referring to the union’s five-point demands, he said deliberations continued even while they were in jail. “We have seen that some demands have started to take shape, but some still need to be followed up. We will now sit and discuss those issues, but first we will pursue these five demands,” he said.
Kharjana lauded the CEC leaders who kept the organisation running and thanked former leaders for standing by the union.
“I praise the CEC leaders outside who continued the union’s work and thank our former leaders who as brothers and advisers did not abandon the union when frontline leaders were in jail,” he said.
He sent a strong message to cadres: “We have always said in the union that one foot is in jail and the other outside. This jail stay will not destroy the fighting spirit of arrested leaders.”
“People saw how our office was attacked and how there were attempts to tarnish leaders on different social media to break our morale, but they cannot erase our spirit of struggle. Every member must always be prepared because while some demands are taking shape, our struggle for the land and community will continue to highlight the dangers that await us,” Kharjana added.
By Our Reporter
