Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Khasi Students Union president Raymond Kharjana and general secretary Reuben Najiar walked out of Shillong District Jail on Thursday. A judge granted them bail in the case linked to violence during an August 19 black flag bike rally. Hundreds of members greeted the leaders at Motphran before marching to the union office in Jaiaw.
Kharjana and Najiar spent weeks behind bars. The two leaders denied any role in the clashes, claiming they stayed with the rally the entire time. Kharjana said the jail time served as a classroom for the union. "When we are in jail, it is like a school that sharpens the mature thinking of every member. Inside we get time to ponder over issues that affect our jaidbynriew, which we sometimes miss outside due to our busy schedule," he said.
The union leadership remains focused on five core demands. Some progress has occurred. The state assembly passed amendments to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, and officials committed to removing personal interviews for Grade C hiring by January 1, 2027. The union also keeps tabs on plans for facilitation centers in Umling and Ratacherra, the Shree Cement dispute, and NEIGRIHMS operations. They also flagged extortion reports in Mawkhanu and Thangshalai, leading to a government inquiry.
Other KSU members remain in jail. Jeremaiah Pohthmi, Samuel Kharbani, and Banjoplang Dkhar are still in custody. Vice-president Pynkmenlang Sanmiet previously secured 20-day interim bail for medical reasons. Najiar had also briefly left jail on interim bail in September following his father's death but returned to custody on October 1.
The union plans to review its strategy soon. Kharjana warned that authorities tried to break their morale through office raids and social media smears, but he remains defiant. "We have always said that when we join the union, one leg is in jail and one leg is outside. This jail term cannot kill the fighting spirit," he said.
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