By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Taking a strong exception to the demands being made for cancellation of Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma’s caste certificate, his brother and Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Zenith Sangma has said that people with vested interests are raising the issue for political gains.
The chief organising secretary of the Williamnagar Congress Committee (WCC) and the president of Block Youth Congress Committee (BYCC) Tennydard M Marak recently contended that Dr Sangma cannot claim himself to be from the ‘Sangma’ clan as his parents did not belong to the said clan of Garo tribe. Marak also pointed out that the Chief Minister’s mother, late Roshanara Begum, was a non-Garo.
“They are misleading and misinforming people so that people will hate us. Certain people with vested interests are raking up the issue for political gains,” Zenith said on Thursday adding that his mother married a Garo.
“My mother embraced Garo tribe and she did so many social works for which she was also given an international award recently,” he added.
After the controversy had surfaced, one of the NGOs, All North East Indigenous Garo Law Promoter’s Association (ANEIGLPA) also demanded the cancellation of Dr Sangma’s Schedule Tribe (ST) certificate alleging that it was fraudulently obtained.
It is learnt that in 2008 certain individuals had moved the court challenging the issuance of caste certificate to Dr Sangma but the court gave its judgment in favour of the Chief Minister. The ANEIGLP has also submitted a petition to the Government demanding cancellation of the caste certificate issued to the Chief Minister.