Mukul’s ANVC-B nexus row
SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has made it clear that it would continue to follow up on the issue of Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma’s alleged links with the ANVC-B militants. The UDP on Tuesday said that it will send a reminder to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on the need to conduct a high level probe into the matter.
UDP leader Jemino Mawthoh told reporters here that during their meeting with the President in Delhi recently, the latter had suggested that the matter be taken up with the Prime Minister.
“During our stay in Delhi, we could not get any appointment with the Prime Minister due to his busy schedule though we sent a communiqué to him,” Mawthoh said.
The UDP reiterated that the Chief Minister should step down to facilitate a fair probe.
It was first the political secretary of ANVC-B, Ajaju Marak who made the accusation that the Chief Minister used ANVC militants to be in power.
Mysteriously, two days after the revelation, Marak was killed along with three other ANVC-B cadres in an alleged fake encounter in West Garo Hills.
Later, ANVC-B commander-in-chief Mokus Marak alleged that the nexus was between the Chief Minister and ANVC chairman Dilash Marak.
Mokus in a statement had also alleged that ANVC-B chairman Rimpu Marak had met Dr. Sangma and even called up some legislators asking them to support the Mukul-led Government during the earlier political crisis.
“It is true that Rimpu had met Mukul and I called up Garo legislators to support Mukul Government during the crisis, but the nexus is not between Rimpu and Mukul, but between Dilash and Mukul,” Mokus Marak had alleged in the statement.
UDP leader AF Dkhar said that the sequence of events point to the nexus between the Chief Minister and ANVC.
Dkhar pointed out that the dramatic arrest of GNLA chairman Champion Sangma also indicates the nexus.
The UDP leader also reminded that the nexus issue was also raised before the Meghalaya Governor when a delegation of Opposition parties met him on November 25 last.
According to UDP, the hurriedly made draft peace pact with ANVC just before the 2013 Assembly election indicates the nexus which was aimed at winning the elections.
25 groups in GH : There are at least 25 splinter militant groups operating in Garo Hills resulting in the inability of the police to tackle militancy in that region, according to UDP.