TURA, Feb 15: The recent statement of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on the ouster of the CEM of GHADC has not gone down well with the protesting NGOs, who have not only condemned the CM but also called his statement ‘childish and irresponsible’.
Reacting to the ‘politically motivated’ remark of the CM, the NGOs on Tuesday slammed the CM in a series of questions directed at him.
“The CM said that any person, whether he follows the Garo custom or not, if elected can become the CEM of the GHADC. This is very unethical and irresponsible. If he stands by his statement, we have a question for him: Will he accept Aktar Ali (Zikzak MDC) as the CEM of the GHADC?” asked the president of Federation of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo People, Garo Hills, Pritam Arengh.
Earlier yesterday, the CM had called the protest to oust the CEM of the GHADC as politically motivated while also adding that any elected member, irrespective of being a tribal or non tribal, could become the CEM of the Council.
“Through his statement he is questioning the collective intelligence of the Garo people. We are not the only ones aggrieved by the appointment of Rakesh as the CEM but everyone has expressed this anguish at the decision. Is he insinuating that the entire community is politically motivated in the matter?” questioned Arengh.
GSU president, Tengsak Momin stated that the statement of the CM was setting a bad precedent for all ADCs, as what happened in GHADC could be replicated in the other Councils in the state as well.
“We want to tell the CM to listen to the voices of his own people and remove Rakesh as CEM. Thousands have come with us in this protest,” asserted Tengsak.
On the question of political motivation, Tengsak clarified that nobody was motivating them. “Our only motivation is to work for the Garo people and for Garo Hills”, he said.
ADE president Dalseng Ch Momin also voiced his concern saying, “This movement is not of the NGOs but of the Garo people. We have been deprived of our rights and suppressed for too long by politicians for their political gain. We will continue our agitation until our demand is fulfilled.”
Meanwhile AYWO president, Sengbath Marak condemned the statement of the CM wherein he said he was not a part of the decision of Rakesh being made the CEM.
“As the NPP national president, it is the prerogative of the chief minister to rectify the mistake they made by appointing Rakesh as CEM. We will not rest until that is done,” said Sengbath.