The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) on October 14 vowed to take-up arms, if the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government continues to discriminate against the state’s citizens.

The warning came during a flower protest hold against the government’s failure to suspend the two police officials, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), for their alleged involvement in the recent incident of tear-gas shells lobbed against protesting teachers.

The HITO activists alongwith the contractual teachers marched from the U Kiang Nangbah’s effigy, located opposite to the Shillong civil hospital till the Secretariat and threw flowers in front of the gate, in order to express their extreme resentment over the state government’s failure to initiate stringent action against the responsible officials.

Prior to the march, the HITO President – Donbok Dkhar asserted that “the organization will be compelled to provide AK-47 Rifles to its members, if the MDA administration continues to incite and discriminate against the state’s citizens. We don’t mind spilling blood for the jaidbynriew, in order to let this government know that a man only dies once in his lifetime rather than everyday.”

He also accused the government of attempting to defend the two police officials held accountable for the tragic incident.

Its worthy to note that the police had opened tear gas canisters at the protesting teachers, while marching towards the secretariat in Shillong, seeking reinstatement.

These contractual teachers lost their jobs in 2019 after failing to clear the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Tests (MTET).