SHILLONG, July 8: National People’s Party national president and Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma on Friday said appropriate action will be taken against Cabinet Minister, Sanbor Shullai at an appropriate time for his “inappropriate” behaviour in front of the NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu and two Union Ministers on Wednesday.
Sangma met Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh, who is also the United Democratic Party (UDP) chief, and discussed the matter.
“I met the Speaker today. He told me about the meeting they had. I told him I have taken note of it and I will take action as and when necessary. I have given him an assurance that I will look into the matter,” the CM told journalists.
Asked if Shullai could be dropped from the ministry, he said, “Let’s see. We will make a decision at an appropriate time.”
Recalling the incident, he said, “I was present. The Speaker had raised some genuine issues concerning many sections of the society. It was appropriate to raise such issues in front of the presidential candidate because she would be in a position in the near future to take appropriate action.”
He said when Lyngdoh was speaking, Shullai had suddenly reacted. The CM said the minister’s reaction was inappropriate on an occasion like that. It was inappropriate behaviour in front of the presidential candidate. It did not look nice, he added.
Sangma said the BJP, not the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), had invited the MLAs of different political parties to the programme where Murmu interacted with the MLAs. She had visited the state to seek their support in her favour.
“This is (presidential) election and each party has the right to raise its concerns. There are no problems in that. It is appropriate for us as the voters of that particular election to raise our concerns and that is what the UDP president was doing,” he said.
Asked as to why the leader of the MDA did not take any action and waited for the UDP to raise it, the CM said, “I have raised this issue and concerns and I cannot discuss it right now. The UDP has done it and I have already shared the concerns with the Speaker. I won’t be able to share anything beyond that.”
He said the timing of Shullai’s reaction was inappropriate given the kind of people who were present. He said there are occasions when the MDA components raise issues and concerns and argue. That is how the coalition works, he said.
Asked if Shullai had banged on his table recently, he said it is common that differences crop up among legislators over issues and decisions. He said those are sorted out closed door through discussions.
“Whatever is discussed with me in private, be it an MLA, party leader or citizen of the state, it is between the individual and me. I don’t think it is appropriate for me to talk about that unless it was done in public,” Sangma said.
On the snub to the suspended Congress MLAs, he said, “It was a BJP meeting where the BJP president had called people individually.
Sanbor slams Hek in defence of BJP
Shullai slammed party colleague AL Hek for trying to derive political mileage from an issue “behind closed doors” that was “blown out of proportion”.
Clarifying his position, Shullai said the turn of events was unintended and had been completely misinterpreted.
Stating that he will speak with the CM and the Speaker on the matter after his return from Kolkata, he said he would apologise if his views had caused any distress to anyone at the meeting.
But the issue was blown out of proportion and “it was a rude shock for me” when Hek tried to get some political mileage out of it, Shullai said.
“The incident that happened within closed doors went on to become public. I felt it was not the right platform to bring up the issue of atrocities on Christians raised by the Speaker, as the BJP cannot be held responsible. The NDA presidential candidate came here to seek support and raising an issue of other states was completely out of line,” he said.
He would not have intervened had the issue raised pertained to Meghalaya, he added.
“Be it Father Stan Swami or any other issue, I have always been vocal and have taken it up with our central leadership. I have no hidden agenda nor do I shy away from issues that are of prime concern, especially when it comes to my state and its people,” Shullai said.
He claimed to be the only MLA from the Northeast to have suggested to the central leaders to exempt Meghalaya from the purview of the Sixth Schedule.
“I have very much stood by all our MDA partners through every crisis and remained faithful to my party and to the leader of MDA, Conrad Sangma. However, I condemn the statement made by AL Hek and demand timely action by our party state president as he seems to be going against the BJP party,” Shullai added.
He maintained that the BJP, a constituent of the MDA, has always supported communal harmony and ensured that people belonging to all faiths live peacefully in Meghalaya. But if Hek and others feel that BJP is anti-Christian, it makes no sense to remain with the party, he said.
Asserting that he respects all political partners, Shullai said he has a special relationship with the UDP as the late Donkupar Roy had been a guiding star in his political career. “My ties with the NPP, too, go back to my mentor, the late Purno A Sangma,” he said.
