SHILLONG : The East Khasi Hills district administration has alleged that the Joint Action Committee (JAC)’s protest march against the Shillong Ropeway Project violated the conditions of permission granted for the rally after participants stopped at the main gate of the State Secretariat and refused to move despite repeated requests from magistrates and police personnel.
MCS officer Dahun S. Lyngdoh, who was on duty during Thursday’s march, said the JAC had submitted an application to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner late on Wednesday evening, seeking permission to organise a peaceful rally on November 12.
According to Lyngdoh, the permission was granted strictly for a peaceful march, subject to the rules, route and guidelines laid down by the administration.
“The application was fully committed to abide by the rules, route and guidelines issued by this office and the permission was eventually granted by the Deputy Commissioner strictly for a peaceful rally as they had applied for, and no protest or kind of gathering midway was allowed,” she said.
She added that the JAC president had also signed an undertaking agreeing to comply with the conditions imposed by the administration.
Lyngdoh said the rally began peacefully at around 1:30 pm but the situation changed when the participants reached the main gate of the State Secretariat.
“The rally commenced around 1:30 pm and it started peacefully, but upon approaching the main gate of the State Secretariat, the participants stopped and refused to proceed any further despite repeated requests made by the magistrates and the police personnel on duty,” she said.
She maintained that the participants were informed that their actions violated the conditions under which permission had been granted.
Despite this, the administration allowed the protesters to remain seated temporarily in the larger interest of maintaining public order, while asking them to disperse as soon as possible.
Lyngdoh said the magistrates and police personnel initially exercised restraint and attempted to disperse the gathering peacefully. However, some participants allegedly became aggressive towards the magistrates and women police personnel.
“We showed restraint in trying to disperse the crowd peacefully. However, some of the participants got a little aggravated, a little aggressive towards the magistrates and the women police personnel,” she said.
She further alleged that mattresses were thrown and barricades were pushed towards moving traffic, creating a public safety hazard.
“Mattresses were thrown and barricades were pushed against the oncoming traffic and this created a public safety hazard,” she said.
Lyngdoh added that concerted efforts were eventually made by the magistrates and police personnel to disperse the gathering peacefully.