10 injured in stone-pelting as Meghalaya CM meets headmen

IANS
SHILLONG, NOVEMBER 6

At least 10 people, including eight police personnel, were injured as violence erupted in the Meghalaya capital on Thursday in an expression of discontent among the people following a meeting between Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and tribal Khasi and Pnar headmen over their demands.
As people started pelting stones, police fired tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse the unruly crowd.The stone-pelting began soon after the village headmen under the banner of Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep — or Federation of Village Chiefs of Hynniewtrep — announced that one month’s time was given to Sangma to get Governor V. Shanumuganathan’s assent to the Village Administration Bills passed by the Khasi Hill Autonomous District Council and Jaintia Hill Autonomous District Council to empower traditional institutions.
But the crowd did not accept the ultimatum given by the village headmen and instead demanded the resignation of the chief minister and his ministers.
People even made attempts to break down the police barricades to march towards the state secretariat.
In the meeting, federation chief Werlock Kharshiing placed their seven demands before Sangma in the presence of his ministers and government officials.
The federation asked the government to aggressively take up with the governor the matter of giving assent to the two bills.
Sangma said the bill passed by the Khasi council has been referred to the union home ministry by the governor for constitutional validity following the Meghalaya High Court order curtailing the powers of traditional institutions in issuing certificates to people unless empowered by law.
He said the bill passed by the Jaintia council was with Shanmuganathan.
“We will aggressively take up the matter with the home ministry and the governor to get his approval,” Sangma said.
The other demands are: to legislate a law to safeguard the indigenous people’s right to ownership over land and livelihood; to withdraw an amendment act passed by the assembly which prohibits legislators to become members of autonomous district council; government recognising certificates issued by headmen to the residents in accordance with existing act and rules framed by the Khasi Hill Autonomous District Council.