CM urges NGOs to call off night road blockade

SHILLONG: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Friday urged the pressure groups in Jaintia Hills to immediately call off the night road blockade from Feb 25.
The pressure groups have announced the indefinite night road blockade demanding that the magisterial inquiry report on the Mookhep firing incident be made public.
“What is the requirement to go for agitation when the State government is completely transparent in dealing with this matter?” the Chief Minister questioned while speaking to newspersons here.
According to him, the concerned department is currently examining the report.
“I have given an instruction to the officers engaged in examining the report to complete the exercise at the earliest,” he said, adding that the government will take a final call on the basis of the findings of the inquiry.
Sangma also said that the State Cabinet will have to draw its own conclusion on whether it is satisfied with the report or not.
“We might order a fresh inquiry if we are not satisfied with the report,” the Chief Minister said while adding that the State government will initiate necessary action immediately if the report is accepted.
Sangma also asserted that the government will definitely share the report once it has taken a decision on it.
Five pressure groups from Jaintia Hills – Ri Jaintia Youth Federation, Meghalaya People’s United Front, Hynniewtrep Achik National Movement, Jaintia Students’ Movement and Hynniewtrep National Youth Front – on Thursday called the indefinite night road blockade from Feb 25 after the expiry of the one-week deadline served to the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA-II) government  to make the inquiry report public.