12-hour HNLC bandh on April 9
SHILLONG: Sitting MP and Congress nominee Vincent H Pala said that he would request the Centre to beef up security in the State in view of the 12-hour bandh of the HNLC on the polling day on April 9.
The HNLC on Saturday had announced holding a 12-hour bandh on April 9 which would be effective from 5 am to 5 pm.
“I will send an official letter to the Centre to beef up security in the State in view of the bandh called by the HNLC on the polling day,” Pala stated here on Sunday.
The sitting MP however urged upon the people to come out in large number to cast their votes.
“We should not be afraid of this diktat by the militant group. Let us all boycott the bandh by coming out in large number to cast our votes,” he said.
Recruitment centre
Earlier in the day, speaking at a meeting here, Pala said that with the help of the party he would make efforts to have a recruitment and examination center for every central government job in Shillong which will enable the youths of the state to apply for central jobs and not depend solely on the state government for employment.
He also urged the people to work together for the development of the State.
The Congress candidate said that it is high time the people realized that communal disharmony benefits no one as it only hampers the people and the nation’s progress.
He added that there is no such thing as a tribal or a non-tribal party and these were just games played by other parties in order to fool and divide the people and gain their votes.
He assured the representatives of various communities present at the meeting that there was no threat to any linguistic minority groups in the State adding that Shillong is a part of the country and everyone is an Indian first.
Replying to his critics, Pala said that as a Member of Parliament it is impossible for him to visit every house in the state and added that it was upto the people to come forward and express themselves and speak about their problems.
He further asked the public to think about the country as this time their votes would not decide the future of the State or District Councils but the country as a whole.
He added that the party also plans to introduce Sports Education Universities across the country one of which will be based in Meghalaya for the Northeast.
Vincent Pala said that this would help the youth to become professional athletes with the help of global infrastructure and professionally acclaimed coaches.