SHILLONG, Nov 29: Amid the ongoing verbal duel between the Opposition Congress and the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), the United Democratic Party (UDP), which is an important component of the MDA coalition, has made a clarion call for restraint and asked the two parties to focus on important issues plaguing the state, which have lately been relegated to the backseat.
“Important issues like the ILP, the interstate border dispute, the Eighth Schedule, unemployment, farmers’ distress, issue of congestion and the financial health of the state have now taken a backseat as we are busy in this mudslinging and I don’t know how it is going to help,” said UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh on Sunday.
“People are quite puzzled as to what is really going on? There are allegations followed by counter allegations in the media from time to time. The political leaders need to be extra sensitive to the problems raised by the public from time to time,” he added.
Stating that the Opposition and the Ruling often resort to making allegations and counter allegations against each other in a democratic setup, Mawthoh said, “We need to restrain ourselves from personal attacks and focus on the progress and development of the state”.
“The state of affairs in Meghalaya is not healthy and there are multiple challenges that have to be addressed,” he added.
Pointing out that the civil societies in the state are alert, Mawthoh said it was necessary to streamline the functioning of different departments and that is where focus should be given.
The pandemic and economic breakdown in the country has had rippling effect in Meghalaya, Mawthoh pointed out and added, “I think it is a wakeup call and we need to be serious and understand the problems faced by the people in the state and address them.”