By Our Reporter
Shillong: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said that there is nothing wrong with the demand of the GNLA for a separate Garo State.
“However I totally disagree with the path they are taking to pursue their demand for the separate Garo State. I do not think it is justified for the GNLA to carry out an armed struggle to fulfill their demand,” Dr Sangma said while speaking to reporters here on Wednesday.
He further said that one cannot resort to violence and crime like killing, kidnapping, extortion and intimidation in the name of pursuing their demands.
“I am surprised that these things are happening in a State like Meghalaya with a Christian majority population. Even in the Bible it is clearly stated that one should obey the law,” the Chief Minister said.
While recalling the struggle for achieving Statehood, Dr Sangma said that the first generation leaders had achieved their goal for a separate State without shedding a drop of blood.
“I am convinced that the GNLA should also follow the path of non-violence which was followed by our former great leaders,” the Chief Minister said.
Meanwhile, veteran politician and HSPDP supremo Hoping Stone Lyngdoh has requested the Chief Minister to join hands in the demand for a separate state for the Khasi-Jaintia and Garos under the Constitution of India. While endorsing the demand of the Garo National Council (GNC), and the terrorist group – Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) for a separate Garo State, Lyngdoh however said that he did not subscribe to the path adopted by the GNLA to fulfill its demand.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Lyngdoh also reminded Dr Sangma about the Nagas and the Mizos who have already attained their respective full-fledged state.
He said the Nagas got their own State under Article 371A and the Mizos under Article 371G.
“The present Khasi Jaintia and Garo state is still a sub-state. Let us demand together for a separate state for the Garos and the Khasi Jaintia,” Lyngdoh urged.
Lyngdoh also mentioned that in 2008 he had met President Pratibha Patil in Shillong and handed a memorandum to her demanding for separate state for the Khasi Jaintia and Garo and she had forwarded the same to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
During his meeting with the Prime Minister in Delhi in 2009, Lyngdoh said, “the PM told me to show the will of the people so that the Union government will take cognisance of the issue.”
Lyngdoh, said his party (HSPDP) will further campaign on the issue jointly with the GNC to achieve the demands for a separate state for the Khasi- Jaintia and Garo people.
The letter that Lyngdoh had submitted to the chief minister was also forwarded to Union ministers of state from Meghalaya – Agatha K Sangma and Vincent H Pala, Leader of Opposition Conrad K Sangma former Lok Sabha Speaker and Tura MLA, Purno A Sangma, Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope and United Democratic Party (UDP) president Donkupar Roy.
