Assam BJP leader asked to withdraw case against Khasi group, declines

Shillong, Oct 26 (IANS) A BJP legislator in Meghalaya on Monday has asked a party youth wing leader in Assam to withdraw the FIR registered by him against Khasi Students Union (KSU) chief for putting up posters in the hill state, terming all Bengalis in the state "Bangladeshis".

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's (BJYM) Cachar chief Amitesh Chakraborty last week lodged an FIR against KSU President, Lambokstar Marngar, after his organisation put up these banners and posters at different places of Meghalaya on October 22.

Interacting with the media here, South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai said: "Ethnic misunderstanding can hamper the peace and communal harmony. The non-tribals of Meghalaya have been living in harmony with the Khasis, Jaintias and Garos tribes who are traditionally peace-loving tribal communities."

Urged the BJYM leader to withdraw the case, he said that the issue is a state affair and "involvement or interference of elements from outside the state would further complicate the situation".

However, BJYM leader Chakraborty told IANS over phone that he would not withdraw his FIR unless and until the KSU President publicly apologises for putting up such banners and posters.

The state police had removed the posters and warned action against those trying to "incite communal disharmony".

Reacting to the issue, BJP leader and former Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy, in a tweet, said: "I say this taking full responsibility as ex-Governor of Meghalaya: KSU needs to be banned just like HNLC. It is an anti-national terrorist organisation, threatening Indian citizens, some of whom are residents of Meghalaya since British times. Like my family on both sides."

The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) is a banned militant outfit in Meghalaya.

The KSU, in its banners and posters, also mourned the death of one of its activists in clashes during the agitations against the Citizenship Amendment Act at Ichamati village, a Bengali-dominated area along the India-Bangladesh border, in February.

The prime accused in the Ichamati incident is absconding but around 40 people had been detained for questioning.

The old issue resurfaced after some people wrote to various organisations and state Governor Satya Pal Malik alleging harassment of Bengali-speaking people by some locals at Ichamati.

KSU President Marngar said: "The display of banners and posters were intended to give a message to the trouble-mongers who are misleading the people in other parts of the country and generating hate, especially by misutilising the Ichamati incident."

Talking to the media, Marngar alleged that some people are giving false statements that Khasis are targeting non-tribals.