Mawlai MLA Process T Sawkmie raised the issue of passing another resolution on the Inner Line Permit (ILP) issue even as he continued to remain silent on the issue of dilapidated roads in his own constituency. The ILP is of course an emotive issue and politicians past and present have ridden this wave and claimed victory but whether this yarn can be spun again and again is debatable. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s reply to Sawkmie’s question was interesting. He said the demand for the ILP is a ‘process,’ and that the three MPs and the State Government too have been pursuing the matter. Indeed, the matter ended there. Most matters ended without the Government having to bat an eyelid. Everything pointed out by the Opposition as well as allies and the fence sitters were explained away in the Assembly. According to the MDA Government there is no wrongdoing and even enquiry reports need not be made public. Is this not fooling the people? Perhaps the people of Meghalaya deserve this since there is absolute silence from civil society and pressure groups who should be the real custodians of democracy.
This time no one spoke about the dome collapse although a considerable amount of time has passed between that shameful moral collapse and now. An MLA who wanted to know what blueprint the government has for managing traffic jams in Shillong city was told by the Transport Minister that the blueprint cannot be put before the Assembly because the matter is before the Judiciary. Since when has a matter been precluded from being discussed in the House simply because the Judiciary is also taking up the same matter? Besides as legal experts opined the matter on traffic jams is a response to a public interest litigation (PIL) and therefore a non-adversarial matter. The Minister should have been briefed by the Advocate General before stating what clearly is a matter he knows little about. The possibility is that the Government is not yet ready with the blueprint on tackling traffic jams and therefore the minister was only indulging in delaying tactics. Since those raising questions in the House too are not aware of legal jurisprudence they are quickly convinced by what the Minister states in the House.
Meghalaya has now instituted a Legislative Research Fellowship where young scholars are expected to engage with MLAs and help them frame questions in the House apart from addressing other legislative issues. Those scholars should look up the rules and inform the legislators on their rights as elected representatives vis-a -vis the judiciary.
