Sikh delegation from Delhi meets Satya Pal Malik on Harijan Colony issue

Shillong, Oct 14: A delegation of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee on Thursday met, Governor Satya Pal Malik to apprise him of the situation after the government last week decided to relocate them from Harijan Colony, Them Iewmawlong.

In a memorandum submitted to Malik, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee stated that the decision to relocate the residents taken by the Cabinet has disturbed the peace amongst the citizens of Meghalaya and public at large.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee told reporters that they produced documents, the title of the property and the court order from the Meghalaya High Court, which clearly states that even if these people are illegally occupying this land they cannot be evicted forcefully or without the due process of law, to the Governor.

According to Sirsa, the court has also established the formation how to evict them.

He said that as per the court order the government should file a civil suit and the civil judge should hear both the parties and pass an appropriate order.

He also pointed out that the Syiem of Mylliem had already in 2008 stated that the land was allotted to the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC).

“How can they sign a tripartite agreement saying that they have reclaimed this land there is no provision in the law and we also request to the people of Meghalaya and to the government that the Sikhs here are living in a micro minority and they shouldn’t be evicted without due process of law and we assure our people also that nothing on this earth can evict them forcefully,” Sirsa added.

The president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee also said that any decision to relocate them should be mutual and “it can’t be forcefully.”

“It (relocation) should either be mutually or by the way of law. But it can’t simply be that a government has passed a cabinet order and Chief Minister is briefing the media and saying that they will be evicted in one week. This is not fair,” Sirsa said.

The Sikh delegation also alleged that the government is neither giving them the copy of the High Level Committee report nor are they sharing the tripartite agreement which they have made with the Syiem of Mylliem.

“What is the purpose that they want to share with them? Why are they hiding, there is something fishy that is the reason they are hiding,” Sirsa said.

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