By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Former Deputy Chief Minister Bindo Mathew Lanong on Tuesday lambasted Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh for “making a U-turn” on the recommendations of the High Level Committee (HLC) on influx that had recommended the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP).
Ampareen, had on Monday, claimed that senior Congress ministers, including herself, never got a chance to preview the recommendations of the HLC before they were made public.
The Urban Affairs also questioned the authenticity of the documents of the HLC on influx as there was no mention of signatories like herself and other Congress ministers in the paper works.
Reacting to the statement Lanong, who headed the HLC on influx, said, “She (Ampareen) never opposed the proposal for implementation of ILP. Instead, she favoured implementation of ILP during the three sittings of the committee with the NGO leaders.”
Lanong further claimed that the Urban Affairs Minister did not support the proposal of ICARE president Toki Blah who had suggested implementation of three-tier card system.
“Since the election is over, she (Ampareen) can afford to take a U-turn on the issue (implementation of ILP),” the UDP working president said.
“If she (Ampareen) had better ideas, she should have suggested the same before the committee. It is really disappointing to see her questioning the recommendations of the Committee after it has completed its task,” he said.
On the Urban Affairs Minister’s argument that she was not made a signatory on the recommendations made by the HLC, Lanong contested that as a member she should not expect to be a signatory to the recommendations.
“It is the duty of the chairman and secretary of the Committee to sign on the recommendations,” Lanong asserted.
