That an NGO from Ri Bhoi district has been warned of dire consequences for reporting the illegal transportation of coal despite the Supreme Court embargo should tell us how ruthless this coal mining lobby is. In fact this is a blatant contempt of the Supreme Court order. The apex court naturally expects the state government to exercise its mandate of enforcing the order. But as is clearly visible, there is neither law nor order in Meghalaya today. Daily hundreds of trucks continue to transport coal out of the state. Anyone who comes in the way of this illegal transaction is intimidated or physically attacked. It is unbelievable how these trucks pass through the police check points along the way without being stopped, much less penalized. From the accounts given by the NGO members the Ri Bhoi police are reluctant to register the FIR filed against the illegal transportation of coal. The Officer- in- Charge even had the audacity to say that he has to get the permission of the SP of the District before registering the FIR. What is happening here? Is the coal mafia –police nexus a fait accompli? What does the DG Police have to say about this complete lack of ethics and morality among the men in uniform? Is there a punishment for such errant police personnel or are they merely carrying out the diktat of a superior force up the political hierarchy?
Ever since the MDA Government took over the reins of governance, illegal mining and transportation of coal is in the upswing. It appears that the Government has decided to look the other day at this racket and with a reason. It is an established fact that coal drives politics. The reliance on this mineral is so overwhelming that the Government is willing to compromise on law and order, but at what cost? Law and order is a sine-qua-non of governance. Today it is the coal lobby that’s breaking the law without batting an eyelid; tomorrow it could be another criminal group. Who will stop this erosion of the rule of law? A Government that compromises on law and order will have to pay a heavy price in the long run.
It goes without saying that Democracy goes hand in hand with the rule of law. States cannot and must not, forsake one for the other. For, democracy without the rule of law is but a political tyrant with a better name! Meghalaya is in danger of succumbing to the rule by the mafia.
