SHILLONG: On August 19, just before their scheduled bike rally, members of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) staged a protest at the Main Secretariat in Shillong by placing banners on the entrance gate and boundary walls to bring attention to their demands.
Police arrived shortly after and promptly removed the protest materials. The demonstration was part of a wider campaign by the KSU across Khasi Hills to mobilize public support ahead of the rally.
The KSU is pressing the Meghalaya government on five main demands.
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Foremost among them is the immediate cancellation of the July 31 public hearing for the proposed Shree Cement limestone mining project at Lum Syrman, as well as the suspension of the East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, following allegations of suppression of local dissent.
The union is also calling for statewide implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act 2016, strict enforcement of the Migrant Workers Act 2020 to regulate external labor, and protection of local jobs.
Additional demands include employment reforms: localized tribal reservations and regional exam centers for NEIGRIHMS recruitment, elimination of personal interviews for Grade B, C, and D state posts, and structural reforms to the Meghalaya Public Service Commission and District Selection Committees.
(4FrontMedia news)
