Shillong: Jaintia Hills truck owners face a raw deal. They must pay a 1,000 rupee fee to fund a felicitation ceremony for Deputy CM Sniawbhalang Dhar or lose their right to work. The Joint Action Committee, which includes the East Jaintia Hills Truck Owners and Transporters Association and the Jaintia Hills Truck Owners Association, issued the ultimatum.
Organizers claim the money covers a July 1 event at the State Central Library. This function celebrates the One Time Settlement scheme, a government tax amnesty program for commercial vehicles. But the catch is steep. Owners who skip the payment will not receive loading slips. This effectively kills their business until they pay up.
The JAC demands at least one representative from every truck show up at the Shillong event. Attendance counts twice during the day. If an owner misses the event, the group will suspend their operations for six months. No loading slips will be handed out on July 1 to ensure everyone stays put at the library.
Truck owners are furious. Speaking anonymously, they called the mandate a “shakedown.” They argue that a government-backed relief scheme should not serve as an excuse for forced political optics or extortion. The associations are holding local livelihoods hostage to guarantee a crowd for the Deputy CM.
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