SHILLONG: Chokpot legislator, Clifford R Marak (Garo National Council) on Thursday said that the Congress Government in the State was not paying sufficient respect to the first Chief Minister of the State Late Capt. Williamson A Sangma.
The legislator even threatened to aggressively campaign against the Congress party in the 2018 Assembly election on this score.
“I would tell the people that this Congress Government has no respect for the first Chief Minister,” Marak said, reacting to the reply of GAD Minister HDR Lyngdoh on his resolution in the Assembly that the death anniversary of the first Chief Minister should be declared as a State holiday.
While slamming the Congress-led Government for refusing to declare the death anniversary of the Chief Minister as a State holiday, Marak said that this clearly reflects the party’s unwillingness to recognize the contributions of late Sangma who was a Congressman himself.
“Personally, I consider late Sangma as the ‘Father of Meghalaya’. He really deserves this title to be bestowed upon him,” Marak said while recalling the contribution of the first Chief Minister during the hill state movement.
“As a student leader, I remember the sacrifices he made to get us our own State,” the Chokpot legislator said.
Lyngdoh in his reply said that the Government could not declare the death anniversary of Captain Sangma as a holiday since in this calendar year there are 22 national holidays, two restricted holidays and three local holidays.
“We lose many precious working days due to bandhs and agitations called by the various pressure groups and NGOs. We cannot afford to lose more working days, especially considering the fact that Meghalaya is among the developing States in the country,” Lyngdoh said.
He said that they would have to utilize these working days if the State has to catch up with other advanced States.
According to the GAD Minister, the best way to recognize the contributions of the late Chief Minister is by holding a special function in his memory.