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UNPRECEDENTED VIOLENCE 

There was a lukewarm  campaign for  the  Williamnagar  election  of  the  Congress, as  Deborah  felt  that  she  was  sidelined  by her  own  party  workers,  which  led  to  her  defeat.   This  time    however  the    story  is  defferent  for  the  Ampati  elections,  as  Congress  workers trooped  into  Ampati, even  chief  of the  all  Mahila  Congress-Sushmita  Dev. She even pin pointed that Conrad K. Sangma, the Chief Minister  was scared to contest from Ampati. Yet  there  was  signs  in  Ampati,  that  the  Congress  was involed  in  violent activities  against NPP  workers,  which  would   have  escalated  if  not  for the  timely intervention  of  the  police. It  is common   that  most  violent  action  is  caused  by a sense  of  desperation of  one  group  against another.  Therefore  the  violence does  not  augur  well  to  those  who  had  started  the  fight, specially that  the assembly  elections in  the  state  was  by  and   large  peaceful.   

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ARMY ROAD BLOCK 

Since  the  establishment of  Shillong as the capital of  the  North  East  Frontier,  which  was         shifted  from Nongsawlia in  Sohra, the  rainiest  spot on  earth,  in  the  year  1874,  army  and      military establishments were  provided, even  within   the  civilian  areas  including  markets.  Even  in  the  heart  of  the   capital,  there    still  exist  today  called  the   Cantonment  area,  which  does  not  form  part  of  the  Shillong     Municipality  area. The  army  had  just  taken  over  the  Garrison  Ground  at   Laban ,which  served  as  a playground  to  the  sports  persons  of  the  areas,  where   famed  football      teams  from  Calcutta, like East Bengal,  Mohan  Bagan,  played  exhibition matches  with            Shillong  Xl.  But  suddenly all  this  has  been prohibited,  and  also  roads  through  cantonments  have  been  declared  out  of  bounds  for  civilians. It  is however  a  piece  good  news  that  the   Union  Defence  Minister, Nirmal  Sitharaman has   issued  a  strict  order, that  all  cantonment    rodas  in  Shillong and  the  outskirts,  should  be  open  to  public thoroughfares, specially  to   ease  the  congestion of  traffic  jams in  the  city.  

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PULSE OF NORTH EAST

The  states  of  the  North  Eastern  India   are  up  in  arms  against  any  imposition of  the  Citizenship  Amendment  Bill 2016, for  giving  recognition  of  people    from  Bangladesh  specially who  have  migrated  to  the  region. This  runs  counter against  the  protection  of  the  North  Eastern  region  of  infiltration.The  indigenous  people  of  the  North  East,  forming  a  minority  in  the  overall  population   of India,  would  be  further  pushed  into  a  minority  corner,  thus  endangering  the  culture,  the  economy, the  indigenous  languages, the  land  and  agricultural  system  and  the  various  faith and  religions professed by  the  original  settlers.  The  entire matter  is  very  sensitive,  concerning the  people  of  the   North   East.  Several  organizations, including  student  bodies  of  the  North East  Students  Organisation,  who  have  held  several demonstration  against the  Citizenship bill.The various state  governments  in  the  North East,  should  also  seriously consider this vital matter  in  opposing the  passage  of  this  bill,which could  bring  about  bitter  consequences.

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HIGH EXPECTATION

With  the  results  of  the  Ampati  election in  the  background, the Congress is  creating  an  atmosphere  of  high  expectation,  that  it  would return  to  power. However  it  should  be  realized  that  a  win  or  a  loosefor  any partythough  Ampati  is  considered  to  be  a  prestigious  seat,  would  no unsettle  the  already  establishment  of  the  present  Meghalaya Democratic   Alliance  government. A  win  for  the  Congress  would  simply  add  the  number  of  its  representativein  the  state    legislative  assembly,but  not  to  the  extent  of  claiming  formation  of a  government,  though  it  is  running  neck-to neck  with  the  National  People’s  Party  (NPP).The  regional  parties  being  part   and  parcel  of  the  NPP, would continue having  their   alliancewith  the  NPP  and  BJP, specially  being  members of  the   National Democatic  Alliance  in  the  Union  Government.  The Congresshas already missed the bus for a government formation.  Ampati  therefore  whether  a  win  or   loss  for  any  side,  cannot  reverse  the political  situation.  

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KSU and NESO burn effigies to protest against Citizenship Bill

To protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, the Khasi Student Union (KSU) North East Student Organisation (NESO) burned effigies in front of the Kiang Nongbah statue in Shillong.

KSU President, Lambokstarwell Marngar said that though the state government has opposed the Bill, it is yet to take any resolution to the Central government to register its opposition to the Bill.” Meanwhile NESO President, Samuel Jyrwa said that the state demography and its peoples (Khasi’s, Garo’s and Jaintia’s) will be under threat if the Bill is passed. The leaders of two organisations have urged the state government to put up a strong opposition to the Central Government.

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REDUCE TO ASHES 

Is there any trace of an omen? A  lightening  strike  had  reduced  to  ashes  of  the  bachelors  dormitory, owned  by  former Chief  Minister Mukul Sangma at Gambegre in the Garo Hills.  The “Nok-Achik” is a  dormitory  of  bachelors,  who  among  themselves  retreat  in  the  evenings  in  sessions  of  discussions   on  social  affairs  and  also  youth  activities  aimed  at  the  betterment  of  society  at  large. The youths  prepare  themselves to tackle  the difficulties  in  the  day  to  day  life  and  plan  for  the  betterment  of  the  future.Why therefore  such an  institution  was  burnt  to  ashes  by  the  forces  of  nature?  Though  of  course  the  weather  conditions  in  Garo  Hills,  saw  heavy  rains and  thunder  storms,  specially  affecting  the  Ampati  constituency. A streak of  lightening  accompanied  by  a  roar  of  thunder,  struck  the  traditional  Non--Achik  dormitory.  There  can  be  many  interpretations  or  can  be  explained  as  a  freak  of  nature,  yet  it  can  also  be  an  unseen  prediction  of  the  course  of  events  in  the  political  scene  in  Garo  Hills.  

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THE HAJONG PLUNGE 

Ampati  awaits  the  crucial  and  prestigious  final  contest   to  the  sixty  member  Legislative  Assembly  of    Meghalaya.   The  stronghold  of  the  Congress  and  former  Chief  Minister  Mukul  Sangma,  who  had    now  chosen  his  27  year  old  daughter  Miani D. Shira to hold the fort.  Though  her  father  and    mother  Dikancchi  Shira  are  seasoned  politicians,   Miani  is  coming  out  in  the  field  for  the  first  time.  She  is  pitched  against  Clement  Momin  of  the  National  People’s  Party  (NPP),  who  obviously    has  the  advantage  of  the  ruling   Meghalaya  Democratic  Alliance.  However,  in   between  comes  in  Subankar  Koch,  who  was  denied  a  BJP  ticket,   yet  determined  to  go  ahead  as  an  Independent.  Therefore,  the  Koch  factor  could  upset  either  side  in  the  matter  of  the  voting  pattern,   although  the  BJP  is  coming  all  out  right  from  the  national  and  state  leaders,  who  are  thick  in  the  campaign. The total voting strength of Ampati is thirty thousand. Subankar  Koch  has  a  slice  of  ten  thousand  votes,  specially  from  the  Hajong  and  Koch  and  also  Garo  and  Muslim communities,  which  can  tip  the  scales  in  favour  of  Clement  or  Miani. 

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State Consumer Helpline to be operated by KJWA

The Khasi Jiantia Welfare Association (KJWA) in collaboration with the Food civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Government of Meghalaya has set up State Consumer Helpline for the State of Meghalaya.

The Consumer Awareness Scheme was approved by the Economic Affairs on 24^th January 2008 to empower consumers by educating them of their rights and responsibilities. The Department of Consumer Affairs (GoI) has a consumer awareness and protection programme under the banner of ‘Jago Grahak Jago’.

The first step taken by KJWA is to make public aware about the existence of this helpline. The Association has travelled to different Schools, Colleges and remote areas of the state to preach people about this help line number.

With this toll free help line 1800-345-3678 consumers will have the assistance to solve the matters themselves with just a phone call. The State Consumer Helpline is an initiative by KJWA by signing MoU with the State Government. The objective of this consumer helpline is to provide clear and practical advice of various issues relating to consumers rights, to improve the quality and availability of information.

Consumers having complaint can register themselves with any of the three agencies depending on their losses, any consumers faces i.e. less than 20 lakh to the District Forum, 20 lakhs and 1 crore to the State Commission and if more than 1 crore the consumer can complaint to the National Commission.