Shillong, May 13: For the first time in Meghalaya, villagers from a remote border village took their issues straight to the powers that be in the State capital.

Around 300 villagers from Lapangap, a West Jaiñtia Hills village bordering West Karbi Anglong of Assam, storm the State secretariat in Shillong today to express their anger over the government’s inaction to solve their problems.

The villagers are facing harship as they could not till their paddy fields to sow their crops due to threat and interference by Karbis from West Karbi Anglong in connivance with Assam Police.

The villagers accompanied by members of the KSU from Wahïajer first assembled at Malki Ground. From there they marched towards the secretariat building.

On reaching Civil Hospital Point, they were prevented by police to proceed with their march. However, police were unable to stop the marchers who were determined to reach secretariat building.

As soon as the villagers reached IGP Point near the SP’s Office, there was a minor scuffle between them and police personnel who tried to foil the march.

However, the villagers who were unfazed broke the police cordon and managed to reach the gates of the secretariat building.

Outside the gates, the protesters shouted slogans condemning Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Deputy Chief Ministers – Sniawbhalang Dhar and Prestone Tynsong – for turning a blind eye to their hardships.

After a few minutes, the State government called the villagers for talks and a ten-member delegation was selected to represent them in the meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar and other senior government officials.

The main demand of the villagers is for the government to facilitate their access to their own paddy fields to grow their crops. They also demanded removal of the Assam police camp at Lum Pynthor, removal of the indicator in Google Map showing the village and paddy fields as falling under Assam’s territory, and round the clock police protection to them.

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