Editor,
It is interesting to recall that it was the UDP who lent full support to pressure groups to create havoc during ILP agitation in the same way that it supported them in their illegal demand to remove the Sohra SDO. This proves that UDP has a shared vision with pressure groups, the vision being racist politics and promoting corruption though anti-development, anti-peace and anti-people acts. Pressure groups are known to make huge sums of money through extortion. They have no other means of income. Yet they are able to sustain affluent lifestyles through plunder, extortion and blackmail. There are several cases in the public domain to prove this point. For example, contractors are forced to pay pressure groups for engaging outside labour. If they do not pay, we all know what happens next – burning of equipment, beating up of labourers and endless agitations. Pressure groups levy ‘taxes’ on food items and other necessities coming from outside resulting in steep artificial inflation. They extort money from trucks on a regular basis. Obadiah Lamare had written about his observations about check gate extortion by pressure groups in an article some time ago. Nothing came of it. The Govt simply ignored the report like it ignores everything else. UDP has revealed its true colours by tying up with pressure groups in blackmailing the Govt in the Sohra case. Transferring an honest officer who posed a hurdle to the illegal activities of pressure groups is the trademark of political parties like UDP. The Govt is a dead duck that rarely intervenes in such situations, except to prove its own worthlessness over and over again. How long will people have to tolerate this Catch-22 situation? There is no difference between a politician, a pressure group leader and a gun-toting militant in our State.
Yours etc.,
Nathaniel Dkhar,
Via email
Govt case against pressure groups
Editor,
Through your newspaper I would like to ask Dr Mukul Sangma about the progress of the case against pressure groups for recovery of damages during the ILP agitation. The following questions need to be answered by the Chief Minister before the people –
1. Why is the case dragging for so long without visible progress?
2. What action is taken against pressure groups for consistent no-shows during hearings?
3.Is the the Govt using the case as a publicity stunt to fool the people with no real intention to recover the money?
4. What of the gruesome murders during the ILP agitation? Why is no one held accountable for burning human beings alive?
5. Why are pressure group leaders like Daniel Khyriem, Joe Marwein and others allowed to get away scot-free even after ordering ‘hits’ on non-tribal citizens? Why is the Govt. reluctant to hold them accountable for the destruction and killings?
If the Chief Minister is unable to answer these questions in a credible and satisfactory manner, then I respectfully beg the High Court of Meghalaya to take suo moto cognizance of this travesty of justice. People who terrorize and murder Indian citizens time and again cannot be allowed to escape for the sake of political convenience which is exactly what is happening in Meghalaya. Will the Court step in where the Govt has failed, and restore our faith in law and justice?
Yours etc.,
S.K. Lyngdoh
Shillong- 21
Megalomaniac politicians vrs cowardly bureaucrat
Editor
Dr Donkupar Roy, by his own admission, got the Chief Secretary to transfer the SDO of Sohra for trying to do his duty in an honest manner. This says a lot about the manner in which UDP and its medieval bed-fellows, the NGOs, get away with bending the law and blackmailing the govt. Let me tell Donkupar Roy in no uncertain terms that his actions are nothing to brag about. He deserves to be condemned for abusing his position to bully the cowardly Chief Secretary to back down. One can now say with absolute certainty that people have seen through Donkupar Roy and the UDP. It is sad to see self-centered politicians like Roy and company exhibit megalomaniac tendencies and ride roughshod over the people with false promises. They are the reason why Meghalaya is still stuck in the medieval age. Shame on you, Donkupar Roy!
As for this timid Chief Secretary who doesn’t have the guts to stand up for his own officers, he has been demonstrating both lack of wisdom and character since he took over. One can only hope that PBO Warjri will be satisfied going down in history as a coward of no significance who did not have the wisdom and courage to behave like a Chief Secretary of Meghalaya. People like him are responsible for creating the confusion of parallel governance. By shirking from their duties and giving way to blackmail by NGOs, they have proved that they are not fit to govern.
Yours etc.,
Robert Nongkynrih
Shillong-4