Citizen forum urges MLAs to vote for anti-CAA candidate in RS poll

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 11, 2020

The Young Citizen Forum on Wednesday appealed to the sixty legislators of the state to vote for a candidate who is anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) during the election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat slated for March 26. 

“We as a Forum strongly appeals to all the electoral college MLAs in the sixty-member House of Legislative Assembly to vote for a candidate who is anti- CAA as they should know better for the good and bad of the society in the State, specially at the nick of time where we all face with these issues of Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, Inner Line Permit (ILP) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) which are all the Central Subjects,” a statement issued by the forum’s conveners P Nongkynrih, M Kharkamni and B Kharkongor said. 

The Forum said looking at the game of Rajya Sabha election, it seems that the Regional parties like UDP, HSPDP, PDF and other Independent MLAs do not have the courage to field the candidate for the Rajya Sabha election 2020. 

It said specially the UDP which is major partner with the NPP- led government , the UDP is divided over the selection of its candidate between the stalwart leader Paul Lyngdoh and Jemino Mawthoh , so looks like no consensus within the party itself. 

“This shows that the party is in dilemma and lies at the foot board of the bus led by NPP,” the forum said. 

Stating that the regional parties like UDP, HSPDP, PDF and others Independent MLAs could play a vital role in winning this Rajya Sabha election 2020, it however said, “So they are going to miss this chance in having their own Regional candidate to represent the State in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament.” 

“We have seen in the previous day news item that the UDP has spilt the bean regarding the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 which was passed last year in the Lok Sabha with the voting of Agatha Sangma, MP from 2 – Tura Lok Sabha seat for the bill. As they have said that they are against the Bill but with the gestures they acted now by not fielding their Regional candidate to the Rajya Sabha election means they have to prove themselves to the people of the State that are they really anti – CAA or pro – CAA,” it said. 

The Forum further said this time no doubt that they will be caught into the wrong foot as they have to be wise whether to vote for the NPP candidate Dr WR Kharlukhi or Congress candidate Kennedy C Khyriem . 

Just another two and half years to come the General Assembly Election 2023 , it said that the  people will give its mandate to the regional parties like, UDP, HSPDP, PDF and other Independent MLAs. “Offer comes once but not every time or if you snatch it also will be very difficult to get it. Beware of it,” it added.