NEW DELHI—Taking strong notice of the Meghalaya government’s attempt to displace Sikhs from the Punjabi lane area of Shillong, the National Commission for Minorities on July 13 ordered the Meghalaya government to maintain status quo till final decision on the matter. Notably, the Commission member S. Manjit Singh had taken observation of the situation by personally paying a visit to Shillong on June 5 & 6.
Recently, the Commission had summoned the Meghalaya’s Chief Secretary Y Tsering, Meghalaya’s Urban Development Secretary Mr. Donald Philips, Meghalaya’s Advocate General Amit Kumar and the President of Shillong’s Gurdwara Badaa Bazaar Committee S. Gurjit Singh to Delhi.
After conducting hearing on the issue, the Commission member S. Manjit Singh Rai ordered the Meghalaya’s state government to maintain status quo till final decision on the issue while deferring next hearing onto August 9.
It may be recalled here that the National Commission for Minorities had considered S. Manjit Singh Rai’s report on June 13 and it was decided that the Ministry of Home Affairs may be requested not to withdraw the security force till peace is restored and chief secretary may be requested not to take any steps to relocate the Punjabi Lane residents since they had been staying there for over 200 years.
