The “black badge protest” was staged after the Khasi Students Union-sponsored road blockade ended this morning.
The delegation members apparently did not face any opposition from the civil defence and home guards personnel posted at the secretariat, who cited ignorance about the purpose of their entry.
The protesters also placed black flags on official and public vehicles.
The delegation, under the banner of Co-ordination Committee of Social Organisation (CCSO), comprised the Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Ri-Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF), West Khasi Hills Students Union (WKHSU) Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF), and War Jaintia Students Union (WJSU).
The protesters, numbering around 50, avoided the main gate of the secretariat and entered through the second gate where persons making an entry are not checked.
Once inside, they dispersed in groups of two and barged into the rooms of the ministers and officials.
Emlang Lyttan, the president of FKJGP, said the committee was protesting against uranium mining and the cabinet decision to allow the Uranium Corporation of India Limited to carry out pre-development projects at the mining sites.
Besides the secretariat, the CCSO volunteers also entered several other government offices, asking officials to wear black badges.
“We have carried out a peaceful demonstration against uranium mining and though there was some resistance from the police initially at the main secretariat, the issue has been sorted out,” Lyttan said.
The protesters pinned black badges on revenue and PHE minister Prestone Tynsong from the Congress, HSPDP legislator H.S. Lyngdoh and several other officials.
Lyttan said some of the ministers “supported their cause” by allowing them to pin the black badges.
“The ministers, legislators and officials at the secretariat were not aware of the purpose of our visit and we wanted to keep it as our unique strategy to protest against uranium mining,” he said.
Besides Shillong in East Khasi Hills, the members of the CCSO also staged similar protests in Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills districts.
However, the state police have drawn flak from the home department over the black badge protest as the committee had on Tuesday announced that it would observe October 23 as “black flag day” against uranium mining.
Moreover, the “surprise entry” by at least 50 volunteers of the CCSO came at a time when Section 144 CrPC was in force, making a mockery of the laws, apart from catching the police unawares.
When contacted, the state director-general of police B. Kezo said the police were not aware of the entry of the activists to the secretariat.
“The onus is on the civil defence and home guard personnel to ensure security at the secretariat,” he said.
Kezo downplayed the incident saying it was a peaceful protest. He, however, sought a detailed report from the East Khasi Hills superintendent of police, A.R. Mawthoh, on the incident.
The chief minister, a majority of ministers and officials have offices in the main secretariat.
Police last night picked up a chowkidar and four others who were allegedly involved in burning a part of a fruit-processing unit of the horticulture department in the city.
A computer and window curtains were burnt in the incident that took place at Risa Colony locality here around 10.45pm yesterday.
The state DGP said the chowkidar and others on night duty were drunk and that the police had picked four of them up for the crime.
Kezo said that since last night nine persons had been arrested for involvement in stone pelting and arson cases.
The KSU expressed concern over incidents of stone pelting and arson perpetrated by persons taking advantage of the night road blockade called by the union in protest against uranium mining.
“We are also concerned over incidents of stone throwing on vehicles belonging to the media during the agitation,” KSU education secretary Auguster Jyrwa said.
Jyrwa said that the KSU did not have any knowledge about those involved in the torching of government vehicles and offices.
On the call for a dialogue, the union leader said there was a lack of clarity on the nature of talks to be initiated by the government.
“In the letter issued to us, there is no mention about who will initiate the dialogue with us,” Jyrwa said.