Pushed to the wall with a threat of relocation within a week by the Meghalaya government, the poor Sikhs of Shillong got a shot in the arm in the form of support from the lone Congress Member of Parliament Vincent H Pala endorsing their rights and the civil rights body Thma U Rangli-Juki also challenging the formation, content and timing of the release of the report of the High-Level Committee of the Meghalaya government and asking for full residential rights to the Mazhabi Sikhs. WSN reports.

Former Union minister and Member Parliament from Shillong Vincent H Pala calling for a court settlement on the issue of relocation of poor Sikhs residing in the Punjabi Lane in the Them Iew Mawlong area has come as a welcome relief to the community under stress for a very long time.

Reportedly, the Shillong MP said, “The government of Meghalaya is giving out big statements which have been challenged by the Harijan Panchayat Committee as they have said that the matter is subjudice. The government should present its case in court rather than issue threats that this colony or that colony will be taken over.”

“The High-Level Committee can make recommendations but it does not mean that the court will recognise the committee or even recognise the report of the Committee,” he added. 

In a significant boost to the movement for restoration of rights to the poor Sikhs of Shillong, the Angela Rangad -the leader of the progressive people’s group –Thma U Rangli-Juki which had circulated a people’s proclamation in 2013, has issued a statement to the media saying that the High-Level Committee of the Meghalaya government had not taken views of a cross-section of the society into consideration.

Like the Harijan Panchayat Committee led by Gurjit Singh, the Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) has also demanded the state government make the High-Level Committee report public.

The World Sikh News learns that the Harijan Panchayat Committee has through RTI asked for a copy of the report since it was submitted to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma by the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone-led HLC, but so far, it has not been made available to them. 

Angela Rangad said, “The HLC was a mere in-house Committee, which gave suggestions to itself and now wants to implement them forcibly. This is not tenable.”

Alleging that there seems to be politics behind the move to submit the HLC report, she questioned its timing coinciding with the upcoming by-elections to three constituencies of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on 30 October. 

The organisation also reiterated its demand that the area in question is redeveloped with basic amenities including water supply, sanitation, electricity, and residential housing for the Mazhabi Sikhs.

“The Mazhabi Sikhs should be granted security of tenure of residence and residential housing, ” said the TUR leader. 

Spelling out the truth in the matter, the TUR people’s perspective is that historically speaking, this area -the disputed Punjabi Lane area has been susceptible to intimidation and harassment of people in general including customers, petty traders, farmers, taxi and bus drivers from criminal elements. As a result of the non-existence of quick redressal from police harassment, some of these experiences have turned into long term resentments.”

The Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers & Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) have also come out in support of the Harijan Panchayat Committee.