Several pressure groups from Meghalaya have taken umbrage at Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council chief executive member (CEM) Tuliram Ronghang referring to the Khasi-Pnars living in Mukroh as “illegal settlers”.

The pressure groups under the banner of Save Hynniewtrep Mission (SHM) on Wednesday staged a protest in Jowai town, about 60km from Shillong, burning copies of his Facebook post wherein he has used the term illegal settlers, and seeking an immediate apology from Ronghang.

An SHM member said the KAAC CEM’s statement “only added fuel to fire” to the already tense situation in wake of the firing incident at Mukroh in West Jaintia Hills district, the site of the November 22 firing by Assam police-forest personnel that left five persons from Meghalaya and one guard from Assam dead.

“We have also urged the CEM of the JHADC and the Meghalaya government to issue a statement clarifying that villages under Block 1, Psiar-Khanduli (including Mukroh) fall under its jurisdiction. We also want that the JHADC and the state government take up the issue with both the KAAC and the Assam government,” Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) general secretary Roy Kupar Synrem told The Telegraph.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday after visiting Mukroh on a stock-taking trip with senior police and government officials, Ronghang said: “Visited Mukroh today. What happened on November 22 was unfortunate. We demand a CBI inquiry on the incident…”

Ronghang said: “A meeting with the government of Assam and the government of Meghalaya will be held soon to resolve the border problem through discussion…. We will not compromise with the territorial integrity of Karbi Anglong, not even an inch of land will be given away to illegal settlers.”