SHILLONG: The non-Congress political parties, who gathered at the residence of Opposition Leader Dr Donkupar Roy on Wednesday, compared the act of profiling the students, who had opposed the Tenancy Bill during the recent meeting of the ministerial committee, to the days of imposition of Emergency by the erstwhile Congress Government at the Centre.
Asked about the statement of Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma that the Government will profile the participants who opposed the Tenancy Bill, NPP leader WR Kharlukhi said, “What more can we expect from the party that introduced Emergency which curtailed the freedom of the individuals?”
The Opposition parties also blamed the Chief Minister for failing in his constitutional duty due to his rigid stand on the ongoing agitations over ILP.
“We condemn the rigid attitude adopted by the Government with regards to the current situation. The recurring stand of the Government in blaming the agitating parties show that Dr Mukul Sangma is forgetting his constitutional duties as Chief Minister,” Kharlukhi said after the meeting of the political parties attended by UDP, NPP, KHNAM and BJP.
Commenting on the statement of Chief Minister that the Government would not hold talks with the pressure groups on the demand to implement ILP, Kharlukhi said, “This is highly irresponsible. For almost three months now, there is law and problem in the State resulting in the loss of many innocent lives. The Government is saying that it has the mandate of the people to rule the State when innocent lives are lost,” he deplored.
The NPP leader was of the opinion that if the Chief Minister cannot solve the current problem he should step down.
Kharlukhi also criticized the Government for ‘belittling’ the role of the Opposition by inviting other political parties for discussion on the matter after the Government had already made its stand clear on the issue of ILP.
Asked whether the Opposition would urge the Centre for imposition of President’s Rule in Meghalaya, Kharlukhi said, “Our first step was to meet the Governor seeking his intervention. We will announce our next step later.”