TURA/ SHILLONG, July 26: The Meghalaya Trinamool Congress on Wednesday demanded immediate suspension of Director-General of Police, Lajja Ram Bishnoi and West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police, Vivekananda Singh Rathore for their abject failure in executing their duties, thereby endangering the life of the Chief Minister and all others who were attending the meeting at the CM’s Secretariat in Tura on Monday. It also demanded an independent inquiry monitored by the High Court to investigate the incidents of violence.
TMC said the DGP’s statement on Tuesday was irrefutable proof of the incompetence and failure of the Police department that resulted in violence and the subsequent fallout of events.
“The DGP has disclosed that there was a planned conspiracy to harm the Chief Minister. This itself shows the incompetence and abject failure of the Police department in timely detection of the ‘planned conspiracy’. Under Bishnoi, the police have endangered the life of the CM and put at risk the lives of many innocent people who had peacefully gathered before the Tura CMO,” TMC said.
The party said the Police department had not taken into consideration the anger that was venting prior to the visit of Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and took matters casually even while social media posts had targeted the MLAs through numerous online comments.
“This shows that the Police department was complicit in allowing the violence to happen. There is a larger modus operandi that attempts to taint innocent people, women, local leaders, political parties and even NGOs,” it claimed.
Congress MLA, Saleng Sangma also questioned the lackadaisical attitude of the West Garo Hills Police in ensuring foolproof security for the CM “who was nearly attacked but escaped harmed”.
Condemning the violence, Saleng said the incident indicates a clear breach in the CM’s security.
He recalled how health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh was recently pushed back from Jengjal by the West Garo Hills DC and the SP over security concerns when she was on her way to Tura.
Asking the police to thoroughly investigate the matter, Saleng lamented that the entire Winter Capital movement has been jeopardised by some miscreants who created the ruckus.
“We cannot blame one political party for the incident,” he said even as he added that when the police was already aware about the situation boiling in Tura, they should have stepped up their guard before the arrival of the CM.
“It seems the CM’s security was not taken seriously and there was a ‘chalta hai’ attitude from the district police especially when they knew that something was going to happen,” he added.
Opposition Leader, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh has also condemned the attack saying “an attack on the CM is an attack on the people”.
Demanding a through inquiry into the violence and appropriate action against all those involved, Lyngdoh said everyone has the right to protest but there is no place for violence in a society.
