Big meeting planned in East Jaintia Hills to discuss proposed railway lines

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 8, 2023

Cabinet minister and UDP legislator from Khliehriat Kyrmen Shylla on Friday informed that a big meeting will take place in January, next year to seek to views and opinions of the people of East Jaintia Hills in regards to the government’s move to introduce railway lines in the district.

Speaking to reporters, Kyrmen said that the decision was taken by him along with an NPP legislator from Sutnga-Saipung Santa Mary Shylla after taking into consideration the division of opinions among the people of the district on the matter.

“Whenever we meet different groups (we found that) not everyone supports the idea of bringing railways to the district and not everyone is against it either. Therefore, the best thing to do is to have a big meeting so that people of the district can give their views and suggestions on the matter. We are yet to fix a date but the meeting will take place by January, next year,” he said.

Stating that decision on such matters should not be taken in a hurried manner, Kyrmen said, “We will see the best time so that we take everyone into confidence by having an open discussion on the issue.”

“If majority are against the railways, we are with the public and if the majority are for the railways, we are with the public as we are legislators,” he added.

Asked, the cabinet minister said, “Some people are opposing the railways without any valid reasons and some are for the railways but when I ask them why they support it, they also have no idea why they are supporting the railways.”

He said that this is why the objective of the meeting is to discuss the merits and demerits of the railways so that people do not just blindly support or blindly oppose it.

“If we support blindly, if it affects us later, we may regret it similarly, if we are against it but what if it is very good and we will regret it. I don’t want my people to make a decision where it will affect them later and where they will regret later. Therefore, all stakeholders should come together and decide whether to go for it or be against it,” he stated.

Asked on the few leaders, mostly from NPP, who are favouring the idea, Kyrmen however maintained that the proposed meeting is not for gaining any political mileage be it UDP or NPP.  

“Our concern is the public and whether they accept it or not. Nothing should be for the mileage of any political parties. Even if they talk about it, I don’t think they are talking for the political parties or as UDP or NPP, they talk as legislators. We are here for the people, not just a party man,” he stated.