SHILLONG, April 1: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Thursday described the statement made by senior Congress MLA, Ampareen Lyngdoh against him as “distasteful”.
Taking a critical view of the recent self-admission by the deputy CM that he was involved in assaulting non-tribals during 1979 riot, Lyngdoh had objected to the comment of the senior minister telling a crowd that he was involved in illegal activities during the communal tension in 1979.
Reacting to the statement of the Congress legislator, the deputy CM said, before making such comments she should have read the entire speech he had made that day.
Tynsong further clarified, “What I said that day as a chief guest was I went back to my history in 1979 when I was only a student and without thinking anything I though eieit jaitbynriew (love for the community) is beating somebody but I realised that it was not justified and not fair to do so.”
“My statement was very clear to all leaders of the NGOs to restrain ourselves from beating our friends coming from outside the state. When they stay here and work here, do not try to say that they are trying to snatch your belongings, your line or your businesses. Let us work together, only then Meghalaya will grow,” he said.
Reminding that was the message he had given on that day, the deputy CM said, “Kong Ampareen should have read my entire speech and then reacted, but it seems she read only one line that Deputy CM in 1979 had beaten up quite a number of non-tribals.”
Questioning whether it is a sin or a crime to share one’s past experiences to better the present and future, Tynsong said, “Kong Ampareen, when she was young, must have gone through some experience. Why not share your past experience for the betterment of the present and the next generation.”
“Through past experiences, be it good or bad, if you can share in a proper platform it will become a genuine contribution to the citizens of the state,” he felt.
