TURA, Feb 15: Virtually indicating that it was coming to power in Meghalaya, TMC on Wednesday made a big prediction that Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma will lose his South Tura seat since the NPP will draw a blank in the Garo Hills region.
“Six months ago, they asked who the TMC was but not a day passes when they attack the TMC. This is how rattled they are. I promise that come what may, TMC will be with you and stand with you in the fight against this inept, inefficient, and corrupt NPP government,” said TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee after participating in a foot march through the streets of Tura.
He said that nowhere in the country an incident as the Mukroh firing had happened.
“Three months have passed since the incident but there is no action against the officers who fired at innocent people. Isn’t it the CM’s responsibility to act when innocent people are being fired upon? The CM should have resigned for failing to take action,” Banerjee said.
Stating that West Bengal also shares its border with Assam, he said, “No one can dare to shoot five people in West Bengal because our CM’s name is Mamata Banerjee. They know that the CM here will not do anything so they attack innocents with impunity.”
Banerjee alleged that the CM did not act over the incident, fearing action by central agencies.
“The Assam CM is from BJP. If Meghalaya CM would have sent a notice to the Assam CM, Conrad would have received a notice from the ED. To save himself from ED-CBI and continue his illegal businesses, he is sacrificing his own people,” the TMC leader alleged.
“Meghalaya needs a true leader who can stand and fight for the people and the right cause instead of dancing to the tunes of their masters sitting in the ivory towers of Delhi and Guwahati. We have raised the demand for the inclusion of Garo and Khasi languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution thrice in the Parliament in the past one year though the MPs from here have been silent,” he said.
Banerjee raised the issue of streetlights in Tura, which at the time of the rally, were non functional.
“If he (Conrad Sangma) can’t ensure streetlights in his own constituency, how can he bring development to Meghalaya,” he asked the gathering.
On the development front, Banerjee informed that WB has 23 medical colleges, 16 of which are government medical colleges and the remaining are private medical colleges.
“Bengal also has 23 districts. Shouldn’t Meghalaya have 12 colleges as against its 12 districts? But there isn’t even one medical college. This is the result of the double-engine government,” claimed Banerjee.
Abhishek stated that it was only the TMC that was joining out for the people of the state despite there being so many other political parties.
“The youth don’t have jobs, hospitals don’t have doctors, universities don’t have professors, and the state does not even have roads. Will Meghalaya choose its self-respect or choose those who bow down in front of Delhi and Guwahati? Will Meghalaya choose a true leader or a shameless puppet?” Banerjee asked.
The padyatra was a show of strength as thousands of TMC supporters and workers joined Banerjee, Opposition leader Mukul Sangma, TMC Meghalaya in-charge Manas Ranjan Bhunia and the two TMC contestants for Tura South and North, Richard Marak and Rupert Sangma. Mukul Sangma, who came with a sore throat, spoke about why TMC was the way forward for the state.
Banerjee expressed happiness over the success of the padyatra stating that the love being shown to the TMC was overwhelming.
Banerjee informed that the party now has a membership between 4-5 lakhs and this just showed that it was only a matter of time before the TMC formed the government in the state.
The rally becomes significant in the wake of the TMC’s attempt to win the two Tura seats as well as the presence of Abhishek who will begin serious campaigning to help the TMC in its quest to win the mandate. Abhishek is expected to campaign in both Ampati and Williamnagar on Thursday with Mamata Banerjee expected to tour the plain-belt areas of Garo Hills on February 22.
