NGOs demand family of Indore couple, national media to tender unconditional apology for defaming Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 9, 2025

NGOs of the state on Monday demanded the family of the Indore couple and national media to tender an unconditional apology for accusing and defaming Meghalaya’s institutions of apathy and conspiracy and reiterating the need for immediate implementation of the inner line permit (ILP) in the state.

“(We) demand public apology from the National Media Channels- for their unverified and half-truths reporting of the incident and from Vipul Raghuvanshi — the deceased’s brother — to publicly accuse Meghalaya’s institutions of apathy and conspiracy that followed the unfortunate death of Raja Raghuvanshi and the disappearance — and now reappearance — of Sonam Raghuvanshi. We demands a formal and unconditional apology from Vipul Raghuvanshi and Devi Singh, father of Sonam Raghuvanshi, who repeatedly undermined and publicly defamed the dignity of our institutions and casted aspersions on us all, the citizens of the State and more particularly our community,” Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) said in a statement.

“We were attacked, maligned, accused, defamed, and humiliated as a community and citizens of the State in the last few weeks. But yet we shunned violence and did not practice retribution in spite of all that was said and portrayed before the whole of India and the world. Our people cooperated with the administration by providing important informations and helping in the search operation in their own individual capacity. Yet, our culture was questioned and our brethren were labelled suspicious. This is nothing but an expose of the deep-rooted prejudice that mainland India holds against the tribal Northeast,” it said.

On the other hand, the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (CoMSO) said that they reiterated the urgent demand for Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.

“Had ILP been operational, the movement of outsiders would have been documented, regulated, and recorded. There would be a formal mechanism of legal accountability for all entrants, especially those who come as tourists but carry ill-intent or provoke regional instability,” it said adding “ILP ensures that such episodes are addressed with lawful clarity, not chaotic speculation. It provides a legal line of defense against cultural defamation and exploitation of hospitality. The current loopholes in state guest registration and tourist monitoring systems are not just administrative oversights — they are gaps that allow our communities to be disrespected, misunderstood, and made scapegoats in times of crisis.”

The CoMSO also called upon the Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, to take strong legal action under appropriate criminal and civil laws against those who defamed the state, spread communal disharmony, and obstructed lawful investigation.

“The state must not allow this defamation to go unchallenged. A precedent must be set to ensure that no individual, however influential, can make Meghalaya the target of coordinated media hostility without accountability.”

Further, the CoMSO requested the Government of India to issue an official clarification in Parliament or through the Ministry of Home Affairs affirming the integrity of Meghalaya’s police, the success of its investigation, and the role of the local people and NDRF in solving the case.

“This is not only to restore national trust but to affirm the principles of federal respect and cooperative governance.

To all the citizens of India, we extend an invitation — not only to visit Meghalaya with respect, but to understand that this state is not a spectacle or stereotype. We are a constitutional people, a democratic society, and a community governed by law, ethics, and tradition. Our identity is not yours to question when things go wrong. Our hospitality is not a license for humiliation. And our peace-loving nature should not be mistaken for weakness,” it stated.