By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has demanded Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma’s resignation over the deteriorating law and order situation in the three insurgency-ravaged districts of Garo Hills.
Addressing a press conference here, the Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Conrad Sangma said, “If the government can’t provide security to its people, it has no right to govern. The government has failed its people and he (Mukul) should step down immediately,”
Referring to the ongoing bandh called by GNLA demanding suspension of the ongoing counter-insurgency operation in the region, the NCP leader said the government should invite the GNLA leadership for dialogue.
Conrad said the situation in Garo Hills region is “tense” and warned that if it continues (300 hours), people will have nothing to eat.
According to him, people are starving due to the ongoing bandh which has affected the livelihood of common man. Even the Government officers are not able to go to their respective offices, he said.
The GNLA, which wants a Garoland state to be carved out of Meghalaya, has forced a 144-hour shutdown, which entered the fifth day on Friday.
Reiterating that there should a better rehabilitation package for the surrendered militants, he said six surrendered GNLA cadres were still running from pillar to post for their security.
On the chief minister blaming the NCP and senior politicians of the region for growth of militancy, Conrad urged the Chief Minister to be “mature” and to rise above “petty politics”The Leader of Opposition also appealed to the GNLA to immediately call off the bandh.
Later, an NCP delegation led by Conrad met Governor RS Mooshahary to apprise him of the law and order situation in Garo Hills and the state as a whole.
During the meeting, Mooshahary assured the NCP delegation to take up the GNLA issue with the government to end the deadlock that existed between the two resulting in a one week shutdown in the entire Garo Hills region. NCP sought the intervention of the Governor on the issue of doubtful voters also.
“We were told by the Governor that it is impossible for the government to stop operations against the militants unless they express their desire to surrender,” Conrad said.