SHILLONG: UDP leader Bindo Lanong on Monday ridiculed Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s claim that the State got the IIM after he sang three songs.
“I want to know can we get IIM or any other institute by just singing songs,” Lanong said in his response to Sangma’s remark in this regard.
The chief minister had claimed that after he sang the songs before Union Minister for Human Resources Development (L) Arjun Singh and his wife, the State got the IIM.
Lanong, however, recalled that after Meghalaya lost the race to get North East Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), which finally went to Arunachal Pradesh, several leaders, including Captain Williamson Sangma, GG Swell, PA Sangma and PR Kyndiah had started lobbying for the prestigious IIM.
“We had taken up the matter with Captain Williamson Sangma when he was the chief minister,” Lanong said.
In fact, Kyndiah as Union Tribal Affairs Minister was also instrumental in bringing IIM to Shillong, Lanong said, adding that the party had also pursued the matter with him.
“It is not right to say and even ridiculous to comment that the IIM was the outcome of three songs sung by the chief minister,” Lanong said.
The UDP leader, however, admitted that the chief minister also had played his part in bringing IIM to the State.