‘Guv,give assent or will ask for your recall’

***One of the traditional heads speaking during the sit-in-demonstration at the parking lots on Monday***

SHILLONG, SEPT 21: The Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Kha Bri U Hynniewtrep (SKNSKBH) has given Meghalaya governor V Shanmuganathan few days time to give his assent to the VAB bills that is pending with him with a rider that if he fails they will write to the President to recall him.

This resolution was passed during the sit-in-demonstration organised by SKNSKBH at the parking lots adjacent to the additional secretariat on Monday demanding Governor’s assent to the Village Administration Bills (VAB) passed by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) which is pending with the Raj Bhavan.

The second resolution passed by the gathering of the traditional heads consisting of the Rangbah Shnongs and members of different dorbars- who have opposed the state government attempt to come up with new bill in place of the ordinance- was its appreciation on the initiative taken by the KHADC to discuss with the state government about the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) building bye-laws. SKNSKBH president Werlock Kharshiing said, “If both the district council and the state government discuss about implementation of the MUDA building bye-laws then we can hope for a solution soon.”

The traditional heads are vehemently opposing the implementation of the building bye-laws in the scheduled areas. They are demanding that MUDA should not encroach into the schedule areas.

Braving the drizzle, hundreds of Rangbah Shnongs and members of the Dorbar took part in the sit-in-demonstration. Placards saying, “The British came, saw and left us undisturbed. Why cannot we expect the same from our own?”, “We demand approval of VAB” and “ We condemned MUDA present encroachment.”

According to the SKNSKBH assistant secretary JL Khongshei around 250 Rangbah Shnongs participated in the sit-in-demonstration. He, however, said that the total number of participants is around 550 as other members representing different durbars beside the Rangbah Shnong also took part.- By Our Reporter