Give land ownership rights to Shillong Sikhs, says SGPC

Amritsar, June 15

The SGPC has sought rights of ownership and construction of land from the Meghalaya government in the area where Sikhs are living in Shillong.

The demands were conveyed by a three-member SGPC team led by BS Syalka. Talking to The Tribune after returning from Shillong, Syalka said Meghalaya’s Home Minister James K Sangma promised them of safety and security of Sikhs in Shillong.

The SGPC sought rights of ownership of land for nearly 350 Sikh families where they are presently residing. The right of ownership of land in Shillong vests with a local tribal chieftain who had leased the land to a gurdwara, a school and Sikh families. The lease did not specify the duration.

The latest threat was issued by the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, a banned terrorist outfit claiming to represent the interests of Khasi and Jaintia tribes of Meghalaya. It threatened the Punjabi Lane Sikhs of dire consequences if they tried to resist the government attempt to evict them.

The SGPC team found that the tribes wanted the Sikh population to move out. The team thanked the Meghalaya High Court for coming to the rescue of the Sikh community.

‘Rightful owners’

• The SGPC has demanded rights of ownership of land for nearly 350 Sikh families residing in Punjabi Lane area in Shillong

• It says the area is not more than 1.75 acres and Sikhs have been residing there since the middle of the 19th century 

• The SGPC has also demanded the right to undertake construction on the land