Tura, Nov 18: Tura today witnessed one of the biggest rallies by any political party in the state with more than 25,000 people from across Garo Hills flocking to the venue at New Tura and catch a glimpse of AITC leaders, including party general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee.
The rally saw all sections of Garo Hills come together with party MLAs, MDCs, state president Charles Pyngrope, legislature party leader, Mukul Sangma along with Banerjee being in attendance. Further the state in-charge of TMC Manash Ranjan Bhunia and national spokesperson, Saket Gokhale were also present.
Earlier in the day, the TMC general secretary paid a visit to the residence of the Bishop Rt Reverend Andrew Marak.
Calling for an overthrow of the current NPP led government for its lack of respect to the mandate of the people, Abhishek referred to the NPP as the National Puppet Party while also calling the MDA as Conrad Sangma’s My Development Alliance for what he termed was the self-serving methods of the present dispensation. Sensationally Banerjee predicted that according to what he has seen, the NPP will draw a blank in Garo Hills.
A huge number of supporters from all across Garo Hills thronged the venue with many still on the road due to the lack of space.
“Looking at the support for us here today, I am sure the NPP will be having sleepless nights. Since the past 4 months that we began registering supporters for our party, we have touched 1 lakh today. That’s the number that has already pledged their support to work for us. There will be more in the coming days,” said Abhishek to the gathering.
The meeting today was held at the New Tura playground of Tura Law College and began at 1:30 PM.
“In the next three months, all Meghalayans irrespective of caste, creed, and religion will unitedly fight to end the chaos of four and half years due to the incompetent leadership of the NPP-led MDA government,” he asserted.
Calling the NPP as ‘National Puppet’s Party’ Banerjee commented, “MDA is supposed to stand for Meghalaya’s Democratic Alliance. However, the collapsing infrastructure in the state proves that all progress has taken place in one family, to one person. It stands for ‘My Democratic Alliance’ of the ‘Conman’s (referring to Conrad Sangma),” said Banerjee.
He reminisced that despite Meghalaya’s rich biodiversity, there are roads with potholes, schools without teachers, and youths without jobs.
Continuing the call for debate on the issues facing the state, Banerjee stated that their party representatives were ready to talk at any place and any time.
“The NPP has not even filed its Election Expenditure report. I am challenging the NPP to come forward and face a debate on why the MDA government fail drastically in the last four and half years,” asked the TMC MP.
Dismissing the talk of TMC being an outside party, Abhishek said that such words were an attempt to malign. He stated that those that are saying such things should remember that another son of the soil, PA Sangma, when he stood for the presidential race, was a candidate from the Trinamool.
“The three petals of the flower in our logo stands for the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia tribes in the state and that is not only a coincidence, it was something that was as if ordained. We will not cower down to autocratic forces and will fight them.”
Promising a brighter future for Meghalaya, he stated, “The state would be introduced to a new government in three months that aspires to bring a holistic change. No border MoU would be signed without consulting the people. We will fight to have Garo and Khasi included as languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.”
Earlier addressing the crowd, Meghalaya TMC State President Charles Pyngrope commented, “The AITC believes in the power of the people and aspires for better governance. We will work tirelessly for the people of Meghalaya. We are working for the development of Meghalaya and will strive to make it a model state.”
“We aspired for Meghalaya to become the hub for travel and education. Instead, it has become a hub for gaming and gambling under the MDA government. We want immediate redressal to restore the state to its lost heritage. We are a party which stands for justice. We will not compromise with our ideologies and principles, said leader of the opposition, Mukul Sangma.
He also marked the event’s success with people from all across Garo Hills and nearby districts of Khasi Hills coming into throng today’s public address, congesting all roads leading to the event venue and the city of Tura.