By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 27: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Wednesday stated that in the case of hawkers’ relocation, there is a conflict between the Urban Affairs Minister and the Tourism Minister, with one arm of the government seemingly working against the other.
“In this case, there is even a conflict between the Urban Affairs Minister (Sniawbhalang Dhar) and the Tourism Minister (Paul Lyngdoh). It seems one hand of the government is trying to cut off the other, which looks deranged,” said VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh.
He made this observation while commenting on the current hawkers’ relocation issue.
The VPP spokesperson remarked, “Meghalaya has witnessed numerous chaotic situations, yet our lives somehow keep moving on. It is rather an organised chaos — be it hawking, the construction of buildings, establishing and running educational institutions, or managing traffic.”
Stating that civility requires regulations to ensure people’s lives conform to the common good, he said, “Hawking has existed in Shillong for a long time. Instead of putting regulations in place to prevent the problem from becoming an unmanageable monster, our leaders have been busy prioritizing social functions and meeting their targeted increases in personal fortunes.”
Pointing out the problems caused by unregulated hawking occupying public spaces and causing inconveniences, he said, “This issue reflects two major problems. Firstly, large-scale migration from rural to urban areas in search of livelihoods shows that rural areas remain underdeveloped. Secondly, governance in our state is a significant problem, with the government unclear about how to deal with pressing issues.”
“It is high time the people of Meghalaya elect leaders who govern responsibly, not those who act as pretentious providers — behaving like Father Christmas, distributing utensils, building pandals for funerals, performing social dances, and engaging in other unnecessary behaviours. We need leaders who address the problems of the common people, not just private interests,” he added.