SHILLONG: Concerned over the spurt in militant activities in Garo Hills, NPP leader Purno A Sangma alleged that the Congress-led MUA Government was colluding with various militant groups in the region.
“It is very clear from the current law and order situation in Garo Hills that there is a nexus between insurgents and the Government,” Sangma said over phone from Tura.
Sangma wanted to know how the Government of the day could allow killing, looting and kidnapping, among others, to continue in Garo Hills, and stated that this indicates that there is an element of nexus with the insurgents.
Last month, after the killing of five police personnel by the GNLA militants, the Opposition alliance Meghalaya People’s Forum (MPF) had alleged that there was a nexus between militants and some politicians of the Congress-led MUA Government in Garo Hills.
The Opposition had pointed out that in the past many militants had escaped in Garo Hills after they received prior information about the raids.
Soon after the allegation of the Opposition, Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma had admitted that ‘nexus’ between some politicians and militant groups in the State cannot be ruled out.
According to the NPP chief, it is due to unemployment that many militant groups have sprung up in Garo Hills.
“As per our information the present Government has given more jobs to the non-locals than to the locals,” Sangma alleged.
Need for dialogue: Commenting on the unrest in Khasi Hills over the ILP demand, the NPP leader said that there is a need to have a dialogue with the pressure groups to end the current impasse.
“Democracy is basically dialogue to address the various aspirations of the people. The present leadership is arrogant and it does not care for the opinion of the people,” Sangma asserted.