Meghalaya Truckers Defy Govt Plea, Vow Indefinite Strike Until Leaders Freed

Shillong: The Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Drivers Association (MCTODA) has rejected a state government request to pause its ongoing indefinite agitation, insisting on the immediate release of four detained leaders before any talks can resume.

The standoff persisted after a high-level meeting in Jowai on Friday, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar—who oversees the Transport Department—alongside district officials from East and West Jaintia Hills. Despite the government's offer for dialogue, it conditioned discussions on the suspension of the protest, a demand MCTODA flatly refused.

Speaking to the media post a late-night emergency meeting, MCTODA member Lumlang Mawnai declared, "No decision can be taken without our leaders. The strike will continue until President Mosklandar Marngar and members Teibor Marngar, Thrangbor Lyngdoh, and Heibor Pariat are released unconditionally."

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The four leaders were arrested following violent confrontations on November 5 at Mawryngkneng, where police deployed tear gas, batons, and rubber bullets to clear protesters blocking cement and clinker-laden trucks.

The agitation, now in its 13th day since October 27, 2025, centres on MCTODA's demand that cement companies adhere to the government-notified freight rate of ₹9 per kilometre per metric tonne. Truckers have enforced road blockades in Jaintia Hills to halt shipments until compliance is ensured.

Deputy CM Dhar, addressing reporters earlier, acknowledged MCTODA's plea for the leaders' release but maintained that the state cannot regulate transport tariffs beyond Meghalaya's borders. The Jowai talks included East Jaintia Hills DC Shivansh Awasthi, West Jaintia Hills DC Abhinav Kumar Singh, SPs Jagpal Singh Dhanoa and Vikash Kumar, All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association adviser Kyrmenlang Uriah, and Mawryngkneng Sirdar Peter J. Lawai.

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In a show of solidarity, Shillong and Greater Shillong Taxi Drivers’ Union president Pynsuk Youroi visited Mawryngkneng late Friday, accusing the government of functioning under corporate influence. "Ministers are behaving like servants of rich outsiders," Youroi charged.

Mawryngkneng Sirdar Peter J. Lawai echoed support, stating the local Dorbar Shnong fully backs the protest against the exploitation of workers by powerful industrialists. He criticised the November 5 police action as excessive, saying officers "turned aggressors against peaceful protesters."

Lawai lambasted departmental lapses exposed during the Jowai meeting and urged accountability. "The leaders' release is non-negotiable for meaningful negotiations," he asserted, warning that continued detention would only deepen the impasse.