Tura MLA to move House, HC against Govt ‘harassment’ of traders

TURA: South Tura MLA John Leslee K Sangma has accused the Congress government in the state of deliberately targeting the traders of Tura by allowing the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Municipal Board to harass the business community with a threat to haul them up for contempt of court unless they filed affidavits giving reason for closure of shops during a two-day GNLA strike in August this year.
The elected member has informed that he will raise the matter in the floor of the Assembly and will also move the High Court of Meghalaya against the government for what he termed as ‘threat’ and ‘intimidation’ to the traders by the municipal CEO, Zenithsky J Sangma who has issued a notice asking all the traders of Tura town to file individual affidavits giving reasons for keeping their businesses closed for two days during the GNLA strike on August 14 and 15.
“A show cause issued earlier by the CEO was addressed to all owners of shops and business establishments under Tura municipality area. To my knowledge the traders submitted their replies as I was also given a copy which had also reached the office of the Registrar General High Court of Meghalaya,” informed John Leslee K Sangma in a statement to The Shillong Times.
The MLA has questioned the motive behind the second show cause issued when the traders had already given their reply to the previous notice addressed to the Registrar General of the High Court.
He also accused the officer of drafting the show cause notice in a “court order format” to terrorize the traders and going as far as using the official designation of additional district magistrate (Judicial) and ADM in charge of Law and Order in the notice to them.
“The Urban Affairs Minister had termed the CEO as Rogue Officer who is acting without any order or authority from the government. If the department is unaware of his actions then who is directing him? Is he functioning under the direction of the Chief Minister,” questioned Sangma.