Shillong witnesses flower protest over tear-gas attack on teachers, HITO threatens to give AK-47 guns to members

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 14, 2022

The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) on Thursday threatened to arm its members with AK-47 guns if the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government continues to discriminate against the people of the state.

The statement was made during a flower protest against the government’s failure to suspend the two police officers including a DSP for their involvement in the recent use of tear gas against the contractual teachers.

Activists of the HITO along with the contractual teachers marched from the U Kiang Nangbah statue opposite Shillong civil hospital to the Secretariat and threw flowers in front of the gate in disappointment against the inaction of the government.

Amidst tight security, the flower protest was also staged in front of the Chief Minister’s residence, offices of the National People’s Party (NPP), United Democratic Party (UDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other coalition partners.

Before the protest march, HITO president Donbok Dkhar said, “If the MDA government continues to provoke and discriminate against the people of the state, the HITO will be forced to give AK-47 guns to its members. We don’t mind shedding blood for the jaidbynriew so that this government will know that a man lives every day but will die only once.”

He also alleged the government of trying to defend the two police officials responsible for the tear-gas incident despite video clippings having gone viral in social media.

“The Chief Minister himself was defending a police official in the purchase of vehicle scam,” Dkhar said.

When asked, the HITO president said the organization will continue to protest till the government takes action against such erring police officers. “We will stage surprise protests in the coming days, we will not stop,” he added.