Goyal: Defy bandh, open shops,people come out

Shillong, December 22: The East Khasi hills district deputy commissioner Sanjay Goyal has appealed to the business community to open their shops during the bandh called by the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) on Monday to enable the public to do their Christmas shopping and also urged the people to defy and bandh and come out like in any week days.

Goyal also said adequate security personnel will be deployed in the capital and across the state to ensure that everything is in order and peace prevails on the eve of Christmas.

On Saturday the United Democratic Party (UDP), the biggest non Congress political party and heading the opposition in the state, also had appealed to the people to defy the bandh as it said called the HNLC bandh “untimely, illogical and anti-Christian.”

Goyal on Sunday appealed to the public to defy the bandh and said citizens including headmen, various local women and youth organizations are also requested to come out in large numbers like in any other weekday.

In a press communiqué Goyal said, “Traditional heads and also women and youth organizations have a pivotal role to play in this regard and their efforts will go a long way in ensuring that all can celebrate the ensuing festival in a peaceful manner and a joyous heart.”

According to Goyal, such bandh called during the festive season like Christmas is not only unprecedented as Christmas festival is celebrated by a majority of the people of the state who are largely Christian by faith but has also hurt the religious sentiments of the people.

“The bandh will also affect our own people who are earning their livelihood as daily wage labourers, etc and a day loss will definitely have an adverse impact in their effort to enjoy the festive season with their family,” Goyal added.

Goyal also assured that the district administration together with the district police will deploy security forces throughout the city and ensure full security throughout the district.

It may be mentioned here that the twelve hour bandh called by the banned outfit has drawn criticism from a large section of the society including the church organizations and religious leaders of the state besides others.

The bandh is slated to start from 6 am to 6 pm on Monday and has been called by the HNLC demanding immediate and unconditional release of the pro ILP activists arrested by police in connection with several arsons and murder related case that took place during the three-month agitations to demand implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP)  to contain influx in the state.

Meanwhile, the police across the state have been put under high alert to ensure law and order as well peace and tranquility is maintained, a senior government official said.- By Our Reporter