SHILLONG: Opposition Leader Donkupar Roy termed the decision of the Government to pass the Bill barring MLAs from holding the posts of MDCs as ‘Doomsday’.
Roy repeated the same view inside the Assembly and outside the House when asked about his reaction on the passing of the Bill after the end of the session.
“It is a Doomsday for the MLAs who are functioning as MDCs due to the timing of the decision. I feel for them,” Roy said, adding that the passing of the Bill has come mid-way as the MDCs have not even completed half of their five-year term.
Earlier taking part in the discussion in the House on the Bill, Willing Mawsor (HSPDP) said that it was an ‘Ambush Bill’. Mawsor said that the introduction of the Bill was like a sudden attack from behind.
Roy also criticized the Government for succumbing to the pressure of the Court. “It is hypothetical to think that the Court will disqualify the MLAs. The Government should not be afraid of Court,” he said.
Earlier, taking part in the discussion in the Assembly against passing of the Bill, Roy said that the whole exercise was done in a hurried manner.
He said that the purpose of the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) Act, 1972 was that the persons should not be disqualified for being chosen for any posts in the Councils.
The forefathers thought that by allowing the MLAs to hold the posts as MDCs, they will act as a bridge between the District Council and the Government thereby strengthening the Council, Roy said.
According to Roy, the Bill has a mala-fide intention and it “is unreasonable and arbitrary”.
Quoting rules related to Assam and Mizoram, Roy said these states had not implemented any law preventing MLAs from holding dual posts.
He also pointed out the irony of many MLAs holding the offices of profit whereas the target now is the MLAs who are MDCs. “If one goes by the spirit of the Bill, many more posts should have been brought under the Bill and not the posts of MDCs alone,” he said.
The Opposition Leader said, “The Government is targeting only MLAs who are holding the post of MDCs; many reports from the press say that the target is the Chief Executive Member (P.N. Syiem).”
Roy wanted to know whether the law was made to target one person even as he said that though the spirit of the Bill was good, the timing was wrong.
“We should not target to ambush friends who are not in line with the Government. Let us try to bring the Bill before the next election in 2019,” he suggested.
