By Francis Khongwar
Shillong (Meghalaya), Oct 14 : The President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Manjinder Singh Sirsa today urged the Meghalaya Governor, Satya Pal Malik to immediately intervene, as the Government’s High Level Committee has recommended shifting of Harijans from Punjabi Lane at Iew Mawlong in Bara Bazar, here .
M.S. Sirsa said the action of the High Level Committee, Government of Meghalaya is contrary to constitutional and legal provisions, as well as direction of the Hon’ble High Court of Meghalaya.
In this regard, M.S. Sirsa who met the Meghalaya Governor at the Raj Bhavan also submitted a three-page memorandum .
The issue of shifting the Harijans from the present location, once again came to the fore when Meghalaya Chief Minister recently told the media that his Government will shift all the Government employees and other citizens residing to Government’s establishments legally.
The Chief Minister also said that he would challenge the stay order issued by the Meghalaya High Court in Higher Courts to facilitate the state Government to shift all these people to other locations provided by the state Government.
The Chief Minister, however, said that these people will not be thrown out to the streets and their interests will be kept in mind. In the memorandum, M.S. Sirsa said the Harijan Panchayat after a long battle and exhausting all remedies approached the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee for support, as the matter pertains to Punjabi Sikh and Harijan community.
Sirsa also mentioned in the memorandum that there were riots, unrest and destruction to government and private properties, after the High Level Committee was formed in June, 2018, after which, the Harijan Panchayat Committee, Sweeper Lane challenged the Meghalaya High Court.
Speaking to media, M.S. Sirsa informed that he has also placed before the Governor the order of Meghalaya High Court which states that even if these people are illegally occupying the land, they cannot be evicted forcefully or without due process of law.
“The court also suggested the Meghalaya Government to file a civil suit and the Judge would hear both the parties and pass appropriate orders”, M.S. Sirsa added.
