SHILLONG, July 7: Cabinet Minister Sanbor Shullai has come under heavy fire from the United Democratic Party (UDP) for allegedly intervening on Wednesday during Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh’s address to a gathering at the Orchid Lake Resort where the NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu interacted with the state MLAs.
Murmu had visited the state to seek the support of the MLAs in her favour.
On Thursday afternoon, reports went viral on social media that when Lyngdoh, who is also the UDP chief, raised the issue of atrocities against Christians and urged Murmu to ensure that such incidents do not occur, BJP legislator Shullai intervened and claimed that no such incidents took place.
The incident was confirmed by the other BJP legislator, AL Hek in an interview with a local channel.d, he said the party will use all the options, including the option of writing to the Chief Minister, seeking appropriate action.
The Speaker refused to comment anything on the matter. He said the party MLAs and leaders came to meet him to express their unhappiness over the social media reports.
Sawkmie condemns Shullai’s actions
Suspended Congress MLA PT Sawkmie has condemned BJP MLA Sanbor Shullai for intervening while the Speaker was raising issues before Droupadi Murmu.
“In a democracy, everyone has the right to speak but the way Sanbor Shullai misbehaved, it has put the state in an awkward position,” he said, while adding that the BJP should take action against its legislator so that such incidents do not recur.
The State BJP, on the other hand, defended Sanbor Shullai and maintained that it was a slip of tongue and not a big issue which could have been solved internally among the partners across the table.
Admitting that Shullai did stand up and put his point across, State BJP president Ernest Mawrie said, “Sanbor put one objection only when the speaker said that there is an attack on the Christian minorities and he said that it was not true. When Speaker asked him not to interact, he sat down silently; it is not a big issue.”
Maintaining that the matter could have been sorted with an apology, the State BJP chief said, “It was a slip of tongue. I have also apologised to the Speaker yesterday.”
“It is true I had invited him to attend the meeting and it is sad that it happened. But I have apologized and I do not know why do they want to make this a big issue,” he added.
On the UDP’s demand for action against Shullai, the BJP president said he could not give any statement unless he receives an official communication from the party’s leadership.
“I think it could have been solved internally now we will wait for the letter and upon receiving will decide in the party on the next move,” he added.