Shillong, August 29: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma visited the RR Colony in Rinjah on Saturday. During his visit, he met with members of the local non-tribal community. This meeting followed the vandalism of a statue of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose during a recent protest by the Khasi Student Union (KSU).
Sangma inspected the damaged statue and listened to the residents’ concerns. The KSU had organized a motorcycle rally marked by black flags, which led to incidents of violence and vandalism in various parts of Shillong.
The Chief Minister assured residents that the damaged statue would be restored, allocating ₹500,000 for the restoration work. He emphasized that the state government would not tolerate vandalism or any activities that disrupt peace and communal harmony in Shillong and other parts of Meghalaya.
Sangma reiterated the government’s commitment to maintaining peace, unity, and harmony among the diverse communities residing in the state. The vandalism occurred during the KSU rally, which aimed to press for various demands raised by the student organization.
Concerns among residents grew as incidents of violence and property damage unfolded during the motorcycle rally in Shillong. The state government has stated that legal action will be taken against individuals found responsible for the violence and vandalism.
The damaged statue holds special significance as Netaji has historical ties to Shillong. He first visited this hill city in 1927 and returned in 1938 while serving as the President of the Indian National Congress.
The statue was installed in RR Colony on January 23, 2023, to commemorate Netaji’s birth anniversary. During his discussions with residents, Chief Minister Sangma reassured the community that the state government would take steps to protect the peaceful social fabric of the city and prevent incidents that could create tensions among communities.
This visit by the Chief Minister comes as part of the state administration’s efforts to restore normalcy following the unrest associated with the KSU rally and to address the concerns raised by affected residents.
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