Cong says MDA is the most irresponsible govt in the history

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 12, 2019

SHILLONG: The opposition Congress has termed the NPP-led MDA government as the most “irresponsible government” in the history of the state for allegedly allowing Assam to illegally encroach at a village in Ri Bhoi District.

It has also demanded the state government to immediately hold a meeting with the Assam counterpart and resolve the matter at the earliest.

This was after a delegation of nine Congress members led by former chief minister Mukul Sangma visited Ri Bhoi’s Balkhawa village on Saturday following the recent attack and arrest of Michael Warjri, who is the Secretary of Hima Nongspung by Assam police.

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Mukul Sangma, who is also the leader of opposition, slammed the Conrad K Sangma-led government over the issue and said, “I have not seen an irresponsible government like this in the history of Meghalaya.”

He said it is to our surprise that the government has been completely insensitive to the given situation and this reflects their complete lack of sensitivity and lack of interest to protect the interest of the people and the interest of the state.

“The state government of the day has allowed Assam government to encroach into the territory of Meghalaya and is also allowing our people to be subjected to lots of suffering…,” Mukul alleged.

Stating that Warjri had also knocked the door of the judiciary (against the illegal encroachment by Assam), he said this is because the government was insensitive and was unware or it is either carelessness or surrendering to our counterpart for best reasons known to them.

The former chief minister further demanded that the state government must immediately sit with the counterpart and resolve this issue.

“They (government) should make it abundantly clear that the place of occurrence is within Meghalaya and therefore the case registered (against Warjri) in one of the police stations in Assam must be declared null and void and case should taken up by police station concerned (in Meghalaya),” he said.

“When an incident had happened inside Meghalaya territory that means you indirectly you have allowed Assam government to claim that land and infringing into other’s territory is unconstitutional and illegal it is as simple as that,” he added.

Mukul said we already have areas of differences across the Assam-Meghalaya border and asked whether the present state government would want to allow similar kind of situation in this new area (Balkhawa), where there is no dispute before.

Alleging that the chief minister seems to be completely unaware, the leader of opposition said, “Have we seen any response from them or have they show any demonstration to protect interest of our people…They have time to go to Varanasi they have time to go to Lucknow but they don’t have time to know and find out and take stock of situation in those areas which are sensitive.”

He also warned that the lack of seriousness on the part of the state government will only create precedent where more and more land gets alienated from the people of the state.

Meanwhile, the Congress leader also demanded the state government to ensure that the road projects taken up by Assam are replaced by the projects of the state of Meghalaya.

“There is no reason why any developmental project which is construction of a road to connect these villages should be taken up government of Assam. These are all part of the master plan under PMGSY. They are already included…the Meghalaya government should be aware that a project to connect these villages have already been drawn up by the state,” he said.