Shillong, March 12 Meghalaya MP Saleng A Sangma met with Governor CH Vijaya Shankar on Thursday to discuss the fallout of the recent violence in the Garo Hills region, which resulted in the deaths of two people, and the measures needed to restore peace and normalcy.
The MP from Tura said the discussions focused on analyzing the issues that triggered the recent unrest, taking into account the participation of non-tribal people in the tribal council electoral process, and finding ways to address them through dialogue and proper constitutional procedures.
Two people were killed in police firing in Chibinang, West Garo Hills, early Tuesday during clashes that erupted amid protests by sections of the Garo community against the attempt by non-Garo candidates to file nominations for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHACD) election.
Several incidents of arson, attacks on civilians, and large gatherings were reported in Tura and other locations across the region, which comprises five districts.
The Meghalaya High Court struck down a notification on Tuesday that made Scheduled Tribe certificates compulsory for filing nominations for the GHACD polls, which led to the violence.
The notification sought to bar non-tribal people from contesting the GHADC elections, departing from the practice that had continued for over seven decades.
The MP said, "The governor and I discussed the situation in the Garo Hills region and the concerns that have arisen following the recent incidents. The objective is to carefully analyze the issue and find a way forward so that peace and normalcy can return to the region."
Sangma told
