Assam cab operators warn of protest as Meghalaya blockade continues despite talks

The blockade in Assam’s Jorabat started on Friday in protest against alleged attacks on Assam residents and vehicles during violence in Shillong

Despite a high-level meeting between the governments of Assam and Meghalaya over the recent violence in Shillong, Assam cab operators who withdrew a three-day-long protest on Saturday claimed that their counterparts in Meghalaya were still blocking Assam-registered vehicles.

Assam cab operators prevented Meghalaya-registered vehicles from entering the state in protest against the violence that left many from their state injured and traumatised. (PTI)

The vehicle owners and drivers, who called off their blockade at Jorabat on Saturday evening following an intervention by Assam minister for border protection and development departments Atul Bora, said on Sunday that groups in Meghalaya were still blocking all Assam-registered vehicles despite the high-level talks.

“They kept blocking Assam-registered vehicles till late Saturday and it continued on Sunday. We told them about the meeting but they said they were not aware of it,” said a cab operator, requesting anonymity, adding that he witnessed it himself.

“We temporarily called off our blockade to respect the initiatives being taken by the governments of both states but we cannot see a similar attitude from their side. If this continues, we may resume our protest,” another cab operator said.

The blockade in Assam’s Jorabat started on Friday in protest against alleged attacks on Assam residents and vehicles during violence in Shillong.

The violence was triggered during a “black-flag” motorcycle rally by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Wednesday, demanding recruitment reforms and implementation of security acts. Protesters vandalised and set ablaze vehicles, including those with Assam registration numbers, and damaged a glass panel of a statue of philosopher Swami Vivekananda.

Assam cab operators prevented Meghalaya-registered vehicles from entering the state in protest against the violence that left many from their state injured and traumatised. They alleged that Assam-registered vehicles were targeted during the KSU rally.

The blockade impacted the regular movement of vehicles between the two states. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma discussed the matter and issued a joint statement on Friday evening.

Sarma appointed minister Atul Bora to initiate talks, and on Saturday evening, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar attended a three-hour-long meeting in Guwahati.

Dhar, on behalf of the Meghalaya government, expressed regret over the August 19 incident and assured that strong action would be taken against those involved.

He also assured that the safety and security of tourists and vehicles travelling from Assam and other parts of the country into Meghalaya would be the responsibility of the Meghalaya government during their stay and movement in the state.

After the meeting, Sangma said their priority was to restore peace and normalcy at the earliest and ensure the safety of their citizens, while also taking proper legal action against those responsible for the violence and disruption.

“They will be identified and dealt with firmly in accordance with law,” he said.

S Dhar said that as part of the legal action against those responsible for the violence, the president, vice-president and general secretary of the KSU had been arrested under the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act in connection with the violence.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been constituted to identify all those involved in the violence, particularly the attacks on Assam-registered vehicles, and ensure their prosecution.

More than 3,770 Assam-registered vehicles have already been safely escorted into Assam, according to the joint statement issued after the meeting.

The two governments agreed that any passenger or vehicle still waiting to return to Assam would be safely escorted within the next 48 hours.

However, the blockade on the Meghalaya side continued, according to the Assam cab operators.

Minister Bora on Sunday afternoon met members of 14 Assam-based private transport associations to discuss their issues. Guwahati Commissioner of Police Partha Sarathi Mahanta, Commissioner of Transport Shri Manvendra Pratap Singh and Kamrup (M) DTO Shri Himangshu Das were also present.

After the meeting, Bora said the representatives had raised concerns regarding the safety of vehicles, drivers and passengers following the violence in Shillong on August 19, as well as the continuing road blockade by protesters in Meghalaya.

“I apprised them of the significant decisions taken during yesterday’s meeting between the Governments of Assam and Meghalaya. Strong measures will be undertaken to ensure the smooth movement of vehicles and restore normalcy,” he wrote on X.

He further said, “I have already spoken with Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma and Deputy CM S Dhar regarding the road blockade. Senior officials of both Governments are also in constant touch, and we are hopeful that the blockade will be withdrawn soon.”

He said that Assam CM was closely monitoring the situation and further discussions would take place to maintain peace, restraint and the spirit of brotherhood in the greater interest of the region.

The representatives of the 14 transport associations said after the meeting that they had demanded measures to ensure their safety in Meghalaya and that the attacks on Assam residents were not new or isolated incidents.

“Be it 2024, 2025 or this year, the pattern is the same and every time we are the ones who face the loss. Yesterday, representatives of the Meghalaya Government came here and assured safety measures but their protesters later said they were unaware of it, while blocking our vehicles,” the representatives said.

They said that the matter was discussed at the Sunday meeting and that Atul Bora had assured them that he would again talk with the Meghalaya Government.

“We have decided not to head towards Meghalaya till this discussion happens but if this continues for long, it’ll attract repercussions from our side too,” they added.

Meghalaya Deputy CM Sniawbhalang Dhar also met representatives of four cab operator organisations in Shillong on Sunday following the blockade of Assam-registered vehicles by local tourist taxi drivers in the Lad Umroi area.

Dhar said the associations had highlighted several issues they had been facing while travelling to Assam and said that their problems were also very genuine.

He said regular talks had been taking place between the governments of both states and that a detailed meeting would be organised by the Meghalaya Government by September 10 to find ways to resolve the issues permanently.

Later, Assam CM said that 131 of the 246 people from Assam who were stranded in Meghalaya had safely returned to Assam on Saturday evening.