By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 13: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) questioned the state government on Saturday, requesting an explanation for why potholes, walls, and traffic congestion can all be fixed with just one visit from the VVIPs.
“VPP opposes the VIP or VVIP culture, not just in Meghalaya but throughout India. We question why, in order to be rebuilt later, only VVIPs need flat roads and speed breakers removed,” VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh said, while adding that “this makes no sense”.
He said, “Partly, this may be done probably as a standard security procedure but it reveals that democracy in India is immature where those in authority are too afraid of its own citizens.”
He claimed that the VPP is unable to comprehend the painting of walls and the erection of bamboo barricades during such visits.
“We should stop painting walls because it is a needless waste of taxpayers’ money. This wall painting evokes memories of the Donald Trump visit to India, when walls were erected to screen the impoverished from public view,” he continued.
“The movement of VVIPs should be planned and carried out to minimise the inconvenience to the public. After all, VIPs and VVIPs work for the government,” he continued.
When VVIPs are visiting the state, there are severe traffic jams and rerouting of vehicle movements. While numerous stakeholder requests and representations for road repairs have been ignored for months or even years, there have also been many questions raised about the state governments’ quick response in fixing lengthy sections of road before any VVIPs visited.
President Droupadi Murmu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be in the state on January 16 and January 19, respectively.
The government has issued a traffic advisory for January 16 to ensure convenience and smooth traffic flow during the President’s visit. The public has been asked to refrain from making needless trips to the area as the president is scheduled to visit the Law Kyntang at Mawphlang (Sacred Grove).
In a similar vein, the police have started preparing for the NEC preliminary meeting that is set to take place in Shillong on January 19. Besides the Union Home minister, the meeting will be attended by the chief ministers of all the eight Northeastern states.