SHILLONG/NONGPOH: Senior leader and veteran politician of United Democratic Party (UDP), Bindo M Lanong has said that the party would like to maintain the tradition of Meghalaya where elections were conducted in a warm and peaceful atmosphere.
Lanong on Tuesday said that Meghalaya had always followed the tradition of conducting elections peacefully for so many years where candidates and parties did not fight with each other.
Stating that there should not be any political war since the state is maintaining the tradition all these years, Lanong added that this is the first time when elections have not been declared and tempo has not picked but incidents of this nature (throwing petrol bomb) is taking place.
Lanong was referring to the incident when unidentified miscreants lobbed a petrol bomb at the residence of UDP MLA Paul Lyngdoh in Mawprem.
Making a clarion call that the party wants to see peaceful elections, Lanong added that police would be held responsible if they cannot control the situation because if police fails, people would have to fend for themselves and there will be retaliation between groups of campaigners.
Asking the police to trace the culprits and book them as per the law, Lanong added that the incident happened in the heart of the city and police has not been able to arrest the culprits.
This in turn would affect the morale of the police force particularly in rural areas and people will completely lose their confidence in the police, Lanong said.
BJP wants police action
The Mandal Committee of the BJP West Shillong constituency condemned the hurling of the petrol bomb at the residence of MLA Paul Lyngdoh.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the committee said that the incident indicates to what nadir the politics of our state has descended.
The BJP also added that it takes strong exception to such incidents of hatred, abusive behavior and slander with intensions to cause grievous injury. Hence, it urged the authorities of law to look into the matter and take action.
The committee has also claimed that the saffron party “is offended that politics in Meghalaya under the present regime is deteriorating with only the intension of holding on to power either by hook or by crook”.
The BJP added that it will never support or take side with any political parties whose ideologies are detrimental to the values of secularism and posing threats to democracy.
As the elections are drawing near, the committee has urged the people to be aware of misleading comments, insinuations and actions.
More condemnations
Leaders of HSPDP and UDP party circles have also came forward in condemning against the petrol bomb attack at the residence of UDP MLA.
HSPDP president, Ardent Basaiawmoit has condemned the attack and observed that such incidents disturb the peace and harmony in the society and urged the police department to take the matter seriously and to ensure that such incidents do not get repeated.
Meanwhile, UDP North Shillong constituency has condemned the attack as well and urged the police department to nab the culprits.
In another press statement, the UDP youth wing, Shillong city has also criticised the incident terming it as unacceptable.
The Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) and Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF) also expressed concern over the incident.
Informing this scribe, President of RBYF and JYF, B Thangkhiew and Poipynhun Majaw said that the two organisations condemned the attack and the attacker’s sole intention is to disturb peace and harmony in the society.
They urged the supporters irrespective of any party not to involve in these kinds of activities for their own political mileage or benefits.
