House debates criminalization of politics
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Tuesday skirted the demand of the Opposition to have a probe by NIA/CBI into the politician-militant nexus, but asserted that the law will prevail and no one will be spared.
Summing up the discussion on the motion,” criminalization of politics taking place in Meghalaya ‘ moved by James Sangma (NPP) in the context of the police charge-sheet filed against Cabinet Minister Deborah Marak , Sangma said that the Government wants to send a strong message that no one will be spared and that the law should be allowed to prevail.
Without naming Deborah Marak since the matter is sub-judice , Chief Minister asserted that the Government has demonstrated that law will take its own course on such matters
Reacting to opposition accusations that even DGP PJP Hanaman was kept in the dark on the police charge sheet against Deborah Marak, Mukul Sangma said that it shows that even the DGP did not interfere in the matter.
He however said that in the event of charge-sheeting, every one has the right to defend oneself.
Fearing that the splinter groups may approach candidates and political parties to provide them support in the upcoming GHADC elections, Sangma said that the candidates and political parties must send a strong message to militants.
Earlier while moving the motion, NPP leader James Sangma termed the criminalization of politics as a ‘cancerous growth’ in the state and demanded an NIA inquiry into the entire political spectrum sparing nobody.
Later, HSPDP MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit also questioned the delayed action on the part of the police against the charge-sheeting of Social Welfare minister Deborah Marak.
“It is rather strange to know that only one person was detected using the support of the militant outfit in Garo Hills,” he said.
Questioning that why it took more than one and a half years for the police to act on the matter, Basaiawmoit said in normal circumstances after the FIR, the police used to interrogate the accused and made an arrest which they eventually produce the accused in the Court. This is not happened in this case.
Basaiawmoit added that even the Chief Minister is not free from this allegation and it has appeared many times in the news report that Chief Minister is having nexus with these militants.
The MLA also questioned the CEO for declaring Assembly elections as free and fair.
“If the accused is found to be involved then what will the govt do against the CEO for failing to prevent such malpractices. Don’t you think that even the CEO has to be taken to task?,” he said.
The MLA also demanded a wider and broader independent inquiry to unearth the whole truth as far as the nexus between politicians and the militants.
Nongthymmai MLA Jemino Mawtoh said that criminalization is the biggest threat and it is giving a bad reflection on the people of the state.
Leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy also stated that criminalization of politics took place during elections and he even added that those who were accused of having a nexus can admit their offences with an assurance that such offences would not recur in future.
Roy also said that it is difficult that such people can be punished as in India there are even many MPs who are accused of even murder have not been punished.
He stated that vote bank politics is also criminalization
Paul Lyngdoh further said that was not happy and he asserted that the Government should not take cover under the phrase “Matter is sub-judice” and “Law will take its own course”
He said the Government should give a clear picture that it means business while dealing with such cases.
Independent MLA Saleng Sangma said that politics has become rotten and corrupted in Meghalaya even as he said that officers on many occasions bend the rules and this is also criminalization.