Shillong, Aug 31: Despite tightened security measures by the state police, members of the Hynniewtrep National Youth Movement (HNYM) gathered in numbers on Thursday in a peaceful protest against the alarming rates of unemployment in the state.
Led by HNYM president Louis Dohtdong, the protestors assembled with placards bearing slogans like “we don’t need festivals, we need jobs” and “Meghalaya is a state where jobs are plenty for non-tribals but not for tribals.”
The demonstration was planned to take place near IGP Point, but the Meghalaya Police intervened, citing a District Commissioner (DC) Section 144 order that was issued earlier in the day. This order restricts the assembly of a large number of people in one area. The police managed to halt the march in its tracks, preventing the protestors from proceeding with their march.
Undeterred by the police presence and legal restrictions, the members of HNYM remained committed to their cause. They decided to continue their protest by relocating to the Mot u Kiang Nangbah point near Civil Hospital, Shillong.
The HNYM members are demanding urgent action from the state government to address the escalating unemployment crisis in the state of Meghalaya.
