By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 14: Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has strongly criticised Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Comingone Ymbon, for attributing the rise in essential commodity prices to the absence of railway connectivity in the state. It accused the minister of using this explanation as a cover for the government’s failure to address the issue.
KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah urged the public not to be swayed by such “irresponsible” statements. He reiterated the union’s long-standing opposition to railway expansion in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region, stressing that no railway project will be allowed unless an anti-influx mechanism is implemented. “We have been demanding the implementation of the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation, 1873, or the Inner Line Permit (ILP),” Thabah said, highlighting that unchecked immigration into the state is a major concern.
He also recalled the KSU’s protests against railways in 1989 and a repeat of such resistance in 2017, when the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) began constructing the Tetelia-Byrnihat railway line. Thabah warned the government against “bulldozing” its way without ensuring proper anti-influx measures, saying the union would not hesitate to take strong action.
Meanwhile, the VPP also criticised the government for linking the price rise to the absence of railways. VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit pointed out that essential goods in other states like Mizoram are cheaper despite the lack of railway infrastructure. Responding to the criticism, Cabinet Minister Comingone Ymbon defended the government’s position, stating that prices in Meghalaya are stable compared to other Northeastern states. He dismissed the VPP’s concerns as election-centric politics, adding that Deputy Commissioners are actively monitoring prices in the state to prevent any significant hikes.
