No doubt, social media, time and again, has been used as a tool to rally for violent activities.
I still recall my days in 10th standard, which were spent with many impromptu holidays owing to the last-minute imposition of curfews. This was during the heyday (at least for as long as I can remember) of Inner Line Permit (ILP) agitations which to this date remains inconclusive. Curfews and internet shutdowns have become regular, especially for people of the Khasi hills districts of Meghalaya. However this is not always for the same reasons – well apart from violent clashes, sometimes it is the tribal versus non-tribal clashes and the other times it clashes with the police.
On August 13, 2021 people woke up to the news of a surrendered HNLC member, a banned militant outfit being shot and killed in his home. A popular image of him shaking hands with the Deputy CM taken in 2018 was widely circulated on social media. Police statements claimed he retaliated with a knife when they went to arrest him in connection with an IED bomb blast in a major commercial area in Shillong that took place a few days back. As for the public, many weren’t buying the police’s story. To begin with, the police encounter took place at the wee hour of around 3:00 am which is odd. His family then claimed he was suffering from a chronic illness which has physically impaired his movements. Therefore, there was no question of him fighting against the police.
Additionally, the police’s claims of having acquired weapons from his home were disputed by the family, including that of a knife being used. Furthermore, the two accomplices that the police arrested were his sons who were eventually released and then claimed that they had been beaten up while in custody. Predictably, many Khasis were enraged and weren’t convinced with the Government’s justification. After the funeral on August 15, what ensued was again a harsh reminder of the lack of political will and creative solutions by the Government to deal with the violent clashes in the aftermath. Police convoys were attacked and their vehicles; vandalised and burnt.
Although the Home Minister eventually resigned, the first night of the curfew was marked by reports of the Chief Minister’s residence being hurled stones at and the CRPF clash with the locals, after a local media vehicle along with the driver were attacked by the CRPF.
It is pertinent that I acknowledge my privilege to be able to write this piece and those currently reading from Meghalaya at this time whilst many can’t even access their internet after the Government’s internet suspension and curfew imposition. This is not the first time, thus the reason I labelled this as ‘regular’ at the start. To pick a few, there were similar measures during 2019 anti-CAA protests, March 2020 (just before the nationwide COVID lockdown) communal clash, now and counting. The disproportionate effects of the internet shutdown never fail to perplex me of the digital gap that exists in society. On one hand, the majority rely on mobile data for internet services. On the other hand, handful elites with better access, are largely left unscathed by the Government’s reaction.
No doubt, social media, time and again, has been used as a tool to rally for violent activities. Barring a few exceptions, it is unnatural to see this become an annual highlight. Significantly, now when schools are being held online, many still work from home and there is a huge dependence on internet services. It is high time for the Government or if not the current, then for the ones to come to find a long term solution to deal with these violent clashes.
