By H H Mohrmen
So far Dr Sangma’s second term as the leader of the MUA and Chief Minister of the state seems like a very uneasy ride at the helm of power. The MUA Government appears to be sailing on troubled waters. Dr Sangma’s second inning as Chief Minister of Meghalaya is increasingly becoming an arduous task for him because he not only has to pay a heavy price for the failure of previous governments, but the truth is, he is also not his usual self. Mukul Sangma who loves to meet and interact with the public is no more that person. He has lost his charm. The Chief Minister who used to be the darling of the media has disappeared beneath the piles of worries. The honeymoon is well and truly over.
The second term of office for the MUA is not as smooth sailing as it was in the previous term. The troubles began in April 2014. Perhaps it is not wrong to say that April 17th was a turning point in the history of this young state. It was the day when the Constitution of the Country and rule of law reigns supreme over false notion. It was the day when it was made clear that there is just one Constitution that governs every part of this great country and all acts and laws passed by the parliament are applicable in every part of the region.
The MUA was caught off guard; it did not expect that the National Green Tribunal to immediately impose a ban on unscientific rat-hole mining in the state. The ban on rat-hole mining which has destroyed the environment and polluted and killed all rivers in the coal mining areas of the state has come like a bolt from the blue for the Government.
It is not that the Government did not know about the damage that coal mining has caused to the environment. Successive state governments (including Dr Sangma’s first term in office) chose to ignore the facts and that has led to the NGT ban. It is true that the ban has caused a huge loss to this Government’s exchequer; yet how can the Government continue to spend crore of rupees in legal expenditure to fight against the ban? Why is Government wasting its precious resources on litigation and that too on behalf of a self serving mining lobby?
The other question is: What has the Government done to those truckers who caused mayhem at Umling weighbridge? What has Government done to those who disturbed the smooth running of traffic on the Shillong-Guwahati highway by calling spontaneous road-blockade without permission from the District Administration and without even bothering to give prior information to people who use this highway? Or is the Government encouraging calling of bandhs and road-blockades at the drop of a hat? And what has happened to those hundreds of cases registered against people who violated NGT ban? Isn’t it true that in all the above mentioned instances the Government is not only dealing with those involved in illegal act with velvet gloves but it is openly patronizing the coal lobby?
It is a pity that Dr Mukul Sangma in his maiden speech at the first meeting of National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) chose to complain against NGT ban before the Prime minister of the country and his chief ministerial colleagues from all over India instead of presenting his vision for the State in the august gathering. Isn’t it true that one of the reasons that the former Planning Commission was replaced by NITI was to give more powers to the states? It was based on the idea that States know best what is important and how to use the central assistance – an argument that Modi has consistently maintained while he was the CM of Gujarat. One expected that Dr Sangma would give a thorough deliberation on his Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Programme (IBDLP) at the NITI and request funds for the same. One would expect the CM to plead for funds to the State Government’s pet project – the two medical institutes and engineering colleges and even many more educational institutions in different parts of the state. It was also expected that the Chief Minister would try to convince NITI to allot funds for providing much needed skills for jobs to growing numbers of educated unemployed youths in the state. One would expect Dr Sangma to request more funds for construction of roads and develop tourism in the state. Sadly, the power-deficit state is even forgetting the proposed hydro-electric projects in many parts of the state which are now collecting dust somewhere in the State Secretariat. So what is this Government’s vision for the state? Or is there any vision at all?
It was reported that the state exchequer is losing about 600 crores per annum from NGT ban on mining, but the question is does the government have any alternative source of revenue? The NGT ban also exposed the delicate financial position of a small state like Meghalaya which depends only on one source of revenue. It is high time the government explores new sources of revenue collection. Why is the Government not considering taxing rich tribals of Meghalaya? How can Vincent Pala who in the last election declared that his wealth is over Rs 10 crore enjoy the same rights of not having to pay taxes with a poor man in Krem Mynrsiang, a village bordering Assam whose entire possessions consist of a a two- roomed hut with thatched roof and mud floor, few pots and pans, few dishes, few cups, a bed made of bamboo and two pairs of dress? How can rich politicians like Ngaitlang Dhar and others who own a fleet of expensive cars like BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi, Land Rover and even Jaguar be treated at par (of not having to pay any taxes) with poor farmers in the village who could barely make their two ends meet? It’s about time that the Government starts considering taxing the rich Khasi Pnar if it wants to earn some revenue for the State.
It is also true that a man with an empty stomach cannot think properly; neither can a government with an empty coffer plan for the welfare and the future of the State. The Government therefore needs to fill its coffers before it can even plan for the future of the state.
This is the second year of the 2013-18 Assembly and in less than three years the State will go to the polls again. The question is what has the MUA II achieved so far? If after the completion of two years in office the government is to produce its report card, what are the achievements that the government can brag about? The present Government has indeed not been able to achieve as much and there is no sign of violence decreasing in Garo Hills. Hence the future is not as bright as the Government would like it to be. There is nothing that Dr Sangma’s Government can boast about so far, Dr Sangma and his team need to burn their midnight oil to bring change in the State.
And the pertinent question is what is in store for the Congress Party in the state? It is one thing to have an under-performing Government at the state level; it does not help either that the Congress is on a losing streak all over the country. So, the future of the Congress in the state is bleak. It will not be surprise if very soon parties like the BJP and the APP will replace the Congress in the state. It is therefore not a case of “so far so good” for Dr Mukul Sangma and company. The government needs to pull its socks together and perform before 2018.
Justice for PJ Marbaniang: In conclusion, there are too many mysteries shrouding the death of the young police officer. The public have every right to know the truth. We therefore demand justice for PJ Marbaniang!