SHILLONG: Two days after the attack on CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing and her associate Amita Sangma, Home Minister James Sangma asserted that the government is serious in getting into the root of illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state.
Following the attack on the activists, the Home minister cut short his Europe tour and arrived in Shillong to take stock of the situation.
Talking to media persons here on Saturday, James said, “I can assure you that we are seriously looking into this matter. Whether to go for judicial probe or a magisterial inquiry that is the only thing that remains to be decided but we are serious about getting into the root of it.”
The Home minister, who also visited NEIGRIHMS where Kharshiing has been admitted in the Intensive Critical Care Unit (ICCU) to express solidarity with her family, also condemned the attack and assured that the guilty will be brought to justice.
Terming the attack on Kharshiing and Sangma as an inhumane and barbaric act, he assured that the government will take very swift action to bring the guilty to justice.
Refusing to comment on the alleged nexus between coal mafia and police, he said, “I don’t want to comment on this whether there is a nexus or not. I think that this matter has to be looked into and only after this matter is investigated, we can comment on the question of nexus.”
On the demand for instituting a judicial or CBI probe into the incident, James said a case has already been registered and the government feels that the police department is equipped to handle the case.
“We have already managed to nab two suspects so we are quite hopeful that things will progress and we will be able to crack this case very soon. But the government is thinking about inquiry but decision has not been taken as of now,” he added.
Asked whether more arrests are expected in the coming days, the Home minister said he does not want to go into the nitty-gritty of the investigation but the persons have been arrested based on concrete evidence.
When enquired as to what steps the government will take to prevent such lawlessness from becoming the order of the day in the state, the Home minister said it is the constant endeavour of the government to ensure an environment where people feel secure.
To another query on his silence and others in the cabinet on the issue, James said when the chief minister speaks he does it on behalf of the entire government. “When the CM speaks it means that we all share the same view and it is a collective view of the Cabinet,” he said.
