Massive protest in Shillong

Led by the chiefs of tribal villages of different part of Khasi and Jaintia hills of Meghalaya, nearly 50,000 people took out a protest rally against the Mukul Sangma-led Congress government for “delaying” in passing of Village Administration Bill (VAB) which aims to streamline the functioning of the traditional institutions in Meghalaya.

The angry protesters led by village chiefs have set a deadline of November 4 for the government to pass the bill.

Normal life was crippled in the state capital Shillong.

The protesters led by the Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong, a platform of traditional bodies of Meghalaya, took out a massive rally shouting slogans against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and accused him with trying to derail the passage of the bill which would go on to strengthen the powers of traditional chiefs of Meghalaya.

According to Meghalaya government sources, the bill has been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for review as the Meghalaya governor had opined the need for MHA to solve this long-pending issue.