SHILLONG/TURA: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who called up Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh following the IED blast at Williamnagar, has urged the Centre to pay heed to the request of the state government for providing assistance to augment its resources to tackle militants waging war against the State, even as proscribed GNLA has denied involvement in the blast.
“I have taken up with Home Minister Rajnath Singh on various issues pending in his office with regards to the security concerns of Meghalaya,” the Chief Minister said.
According to him, the response of Home Minister was positive. “He is aware of the situation and I am confident that he will address our needs and requirements in the near future,” the Chief Minister said
In his telephonic conversation with the Union Home Minister, Sangma said that Meghalaya and the entire Northeast remains prone to various acts of destabilisation by “anti national forces” and that the Centre needs to address it with urgency.
The Chief Minister said, “Many forces and agencies are working against the interests of the nation and we need to be alert at all times and for that, we also need to be properly equipped. Some of our proposals are lying with the finance ministry and, I have requested Home Minister to clear the pending proposals which he had promised to examine”.
Earlier, the Chief Minister in a statement has condemned the attack by the anti-national forces on the innocent people at Williamnagar.
According to the Chief Minister, the cowardly act needs to be condemned by all citizens of the state.
GNLA denial: Meanwhile, GNLA has denied its involvement in the blast.
The GNLA publicity secretary Gantong Ch Marak issued a press statement on Saturday night denying the involvement of his armed organization in the explosion.
“We have no hand in Williamnagar blast. Accusation put on us by police is erroneous. We condemn such devious act. We don’t have intention of harming innocent people by such dastardly act. Unnecessarily spilling blood of innocents is against our working policies,” claimed the GNLA secretary Gantong Marak in his communiqué.
Pointing a finger of suspicion on small time criminal gangs targeting the business community for a pay off, the GNLA publicity secretary blamed the police intelligence failure for the incident.
Simply putting the blame on GNLA for each wrongdoing of others will not solve the issue. Police ought to work harder to get after the real culprits to protect the public, added the GNLA in their statement.
