Opp rubbishes CM’s statement lMPF to meet today to discuss ILP stalemate
SHILLONG: Opposition UDP and HSPDP have come down heavily on Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma for alleging that the Opposition parties are acting in connivance with the agitating pro-ILP pressure groups to ‘add fuel to fire’.
The UDP has termed the accusation as utter ‘nonsense and childish’.
“Instead of shifting responsibilities, he (Dr Sangma) should try to resolve the current impasse,” UDP president Dr Donkupar Roy said here on Sunday.
“The UDP does not have any connection with any pressure group. The party since its inception till today has never been involved with any non-governmental organization to create any law and order problem in the state,” Dr Roy said adding that Opposition Meghalaya People’s Front (MPF) will be meeting here on Monday to have a threadbare discussion on the prevailing stalemate over ILP.
The Chief Minister had recently said, “If you are looking at the rhetoric from various directions, particularly from the Opposition, I have reasons to believe that they (Opposition) are adding fuel to the fire. I have reasons to believe they must be in close contact with these agitating pressure groups.”
Dr Roy felt that the Chief Minister as the head of the state should instead use all his means to find an amicable solution to the problem.
Reacting to Dr Sangma’s statement that there will be no further talks with the agitating groups, UDP chief said, “He (Chief Minister) should build bridges instead of walls”.
While backing the demand for implementation of ILP, Dr Roy said the existing mechanism has failed to check influx of illegal migrants.
On whether the tenancy law that government is contemplating to bring in will help curb influx, he said he would not be able to comment since he was yet to see the draft of the proposed law.
“But all tenancy laws in the country have been made to protect the tenants,” he added.
No intention to topple govt: Ardent
Meanwhile, HSPDP legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit has said that the Opposition has no intention to topple the UPA-II Government on the issue of ILP.
“Our focus is not to topple the State Government as we are more concerned over the issue of influx”, Basaiawmoit said. According to the HSPDP leader, the party will stick to the demand for implementation of ILP and asserted that the matter would be raised during the upcoming session of the State Assembly.
“We are not interested in the political game,” the HSPDP leader said. According to him, while the tenancy act which Government is planning to implement will pertain only to tenants, ILP will be applicable to all. The legislator also pointed out that if Mizoram with the introduction of ILP can prosper, Meghalaya without implementing ILP is considered as least developed as per the recent report of Raghuram Rajan Committee.