‘Sell-out’ cry against Tura MP
SHILLONG/ TURA: Different political parties in Meghalaya, including those supporting the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, have slammed Tura MP Agatha Sangma for supporting the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill while terming her stand as surprising and a ‘sell-out’.
PDF leader and Cabinet Minister Hamlet Dohling said they are very surprised with the statement of Agatha when the MDA government had opposed the CAB.
“Infact we had requested both our MPs to air the same views to the Centre. We are not happy with what she spoke on the floor of the House”, Dohling said.
The United Progressive Front (UPF) members comprising MLAs from PDF, NCP and Independent, have expressed shock at the stand taken by the NPP MP.
President of PDF Banteidor Lyngdoh said, “We are not satisfied with the exemption. It was shocking for us and she voted for the bill and that is why we are still in shock”.
Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) MLA Adelbert Nongrum said Agatha’s statement finally revealed NPP’s double standard.
“BJP and NPP are the same. NPP if translated in Hindi means Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)”, he said.
UDP leader Bindo Lanong said the party will sit on Wednesday to discuss about the entire matter. He, however, while giving his personal opinion, said that it is fair since the MP had maintained that North East should be exempted from the purview of the bill.
BJP MLA and Cabinet Minister AL Hek too said that though Agatha supported the bill, she had made it amply clear that North East should be exempted. On the other hand, Congress MLA and Opposition chief whip, PT Sawkmie termed the support of Agatha for CAB as unexpected.
Angered by the decision of Tura MP to support the passage of CAB in the Lok Sabha, several organisations, including the Congress, attacked her decision calling it a “sell-out” of the country’s secular credentials. Shortly after the 11-hour NESO bandh came to an end on Tuesday evening, several groups converged outside the National People’s Party office in Hawakhana locality of Tura and burnt the effigies of the Tura MP and her brothers, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Home Minister James K Sangma.
A group of Youth Congress members led by their president staged a protest outside the residence of Agatha in the Walbakgre locality of the town.
Youth Congress president Richard Marak accused the Tura MP and her party of betraying the people of the North East by supporting the bill. The Congress supporters also burnt an effigy of the Tura MP on the road next to her home.
Earlier, similar protests against the Tura MP were held in some other parts of the Garo Hills, particularly in Dainadubi and Phulbari region.