Meghalaya's leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma, on Saturday (March 22, 2025) urged the State Government to institute an independent commission of inquiry into the Garo Hills violence, stating that accountability and due process were essential to restore public confidence.
In a petition to Governor C.H. Vijayashankar, Mr. Sangma flagged a "serious law and order situation" in the Garo Hills region, which he said stemmed from a series of developments linked to the elections to the tribal Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
He said tensions escalated over demands by certain civil society organisations representing the Garo community to bar non-tribals from contesting the GHADC polls, the issuance of a notification by the then chief executive member of the council, and a meeting held in Phulbari area by a former MLA, which allegedly had wider ramifications.
Curfew relaxed in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills for five hours on March 12
"These developments led to widespread unrest and conflict among different groups in the region," Mr. Sangma, a TMC MLA, said in the petition.
