A Black Flag Bike Rally organised by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in Shillong on Wednesday witnessed tension at several locations, with reports of stone-pelting, damage to vehicles and alleged vandalism of statues emerging along parts of the route.
The rally, which began from the KSU office at Jaiaw Seng Khasi College and concluded at Seng Khasi, Jaiaw, passed through several parts of Shillong, including Lumdiengjri, Rhino, Barik, Malki, Pynthorbah, Rynjah, Umpling, Ishyrwat, Nongmensong, Polo, Golf Link, Mawlai and other areas.
The KSU said the rally was organised to press the Meghalaya Government to address its five-point charter of demands and issues concerning the rights and interests of the indigenous people of the state. Some social media posts and statements by organisations, however, described the rally as being linked to demands concerning the detection and removal of alleged illegal immigrants.
During the procession, reports emerged from some locations of stones being thrown and vehicles being damaged. The circumstances surrounding the incidents, the extent of the damage and the identities of those responsible were not immediately established.
A separate incident was reported from RR Colony in Rynjah, where residents alleged that unidentified persons damaged statues of Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose near the RR Colony Welfare Office. Photographs circulating from the area showed the glass enclosure around the Vivekananda statue shattered, while the bust of Netaji was seen damaged and lying beside the road.
Residents said the damage was noticed after the rally passed through the area and urged the authorities to investigate. However, there was no independent confirmation that the vandalism was carried out by KSU members or was directly connected to the rally.
Meanwhile, the Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP), in a press statement issued from Guwahati, condemned the reported damage to Assam-registered vehicles and the statues. KSP president Satya Ranjan Borah alleged that KSU activists were responsible and criticised the Meghalaya Government and administration for failing to prevent such incidents. He called for the identification and arrest of those responsible and urged the authorities to take steps to maintain peace.
The statement also raised concerns over the reported targeting of Assam-registered vehicles and warned that continued incidents could affect relations and connectivity between Assam and Meghalaya. The KSP appealed to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and the state police administration to take action.
Separately, social media commentary by individuals including Kaanad Purkayastha, Dr Rajdeep Roy and Kaushik Rai expressed concern over what they described as repeated incidents of violence and intimidation against non-tribal residents, particularly Bengalis, in Shillong and other parts of the Northeast. The posts also called for greater public attention to the concerns of non-tribal communities living in the region.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and claims linking the reported damage to specific communities or organisations remain subject to investigation.
The incidents have once again brought attention to the sensitive relationship between indigenous and non-tribal communities in Meghalaya, as well as the need for authorities to ensure that democratic protests do not turn violent or lead to damage to public or private property. Police action and further investigation are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported incidents.
