SHILLONG: The Mukul Sangma-led government had to face the Opposition onslaught over several contentious issues from crime against women to waste management in the Assembly on Thursday.
Nongkrem MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit, while speaking during the no-confidence motion, said the Government was “hopeless” as “it cannot even remove the stench from Marten”.
Speaking on law and order, the HSPDP legislator said till July this year, 177 cases of crime against women and children were reported in the State. “If we cannot protect women, we should be ashamed to call Meghalaya a matrilineal state,” he added.
Stating that more than 400 cases against minors, 133 of which are in East Khasi Hills, are pending trial, the MLA demanded that the Government should set up more special courts and rued about the State not having a full-fledged forensic laboratory. “This Government has become an event manager since they are organising festivals after festivals while 76 per cent people in the rural areas are landless,” he said.
Supporting the motion, NPP’s James Sangma said the MUA has become a Government of “false hopes”. In this context, the Daddengre MLA referred to the State’s promise to turn Polo into Times Square and set up medical college in Tura, which is yet to be a reality.
Sangma blamed the government for Meghalaya’s financial crisis and denounced the Chief Minister for not formulating policies on education, sports and youth affairs.
Terming the Integrated Basin Livelihood Development Programme (IBDLP) as “a mere lip service”, Sangma said productive land should be stopped from being used for fishery to avoid food scarcity.
Nongthymmai MLA Jemino Mawthoh (UDP) said both education and health sectors have failed miserably. “The literacy rate of other Northeastern states is better than Meghalaya despite Shillong being the education hub of the North East,” he said and blamed the government for the teachers’ strike earlier this month.
On the decrepit condition of roads in the city, Mawthoh said contractors would not take up work as the government did not clear their dues. “Also, there is total disconnect between the political class and the bureaucracy,” he added.
Leader of the Opposition Donkupar Roy said the State should not discriminate when it comes to distribute development projects. He also slammed the government for the inordinate delays in several hydel projects.
West Shillong MLA Paul Lyngdoh resorted to sarcasm when he referred to the Congress’s infighting and said all flight attendants know the names of many MLAs who have to frequently visit New Delhi to resolve internal bickering. He said the Chief Minister has fought many a no-confidence within the Congress in the last three to four years
Lyngdoh said tourists who visit the state have to face several problems of landsides along the Guwahati-Shillong road followed by the stench of the Marten and traffic snarls.
District Council Affairs Minister Prestone Tynsong took on the Opposition over this saying the Congress “has healthy practices and all issues are amicably sorted” and asked other parties to follow suit.
Later, Songsak MLA Nihim D. Shira also participated in the discussion and said teachers in Garo Hills are facing several problems due to inability of the Government to address their various concerns.
Later, Urban Affairs minister RV Lyngdoh defended the IBDLP saying the programme got the award from even the United Nations Development Programme for being the best social practice in the world. He also said the Government has met the aspirations of the people despite facing constraints.
Tynsong said the Government despite constraints had enhanced fund under SUWP and SRWP from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore.
Senior leader DD Lapang while participating in the discussion said the Government should try to rectify the lapses and urged the Government to take up the matter of pending Hotel Crowborough and the issue concerning conversion of Old Shillong Municipal Board premises into a hotel.
Asserting that the State has tremendous potential in the tourism sector, he said the state was trailing in this sector and more efforts should be made to rejuvenate it.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Zenith Sangma also took part in the discussion and opposed the no-confidence motion saying the Government was taking several steps in every department for the overall development of the state.
PWD Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, while expressing her faith in the Chief Minister, said three women ministers are concerned about the rising crime against women and children and they would internally continue to raise the issue.
“I feel bad that we are sinking in this system of bashing the Chief Minister and we need to stop,” she said.
