‘Betrayal of matrilineal roots, political convenience’
Our Bureau
SHILLONG, Sep 17: The high-voltage cabinet reshuffle by Conrad K. Sangma midway into his second term as Chief Minister has drawn sharp criticism from Opposition parties.
While the Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress (MPMC) attacked the NPP-led MDA 2.0 Government for betraying the state’s matrilineal roots by denying women and minorities a place in the new cabinet, the Voice of the People Party termed the rejig as one of political convenience.
The Congress women’s wing alleged that the ruling dispensation has turned governance into “cartel politics” that benefits a select few.
MPCC president Joplyn Shylla said the move was nothing short of an insult to the women and other communities of Meghalaya. “There is no regard for competency and balance of power, but a lopsided approach to wield the sword of power for a few who toe the Delhi line. It’s a betrayal of the very foundation of our matrilineal society, where women have always been held in the highest esteem,” she stated.
Shylla pointed out that in a state where women’s participation in the workforce surpasses that of men, the absence of a single female minister was a “glaring injustice” and proof that the NPP-BJP government has chosen lip service over real empowerment.
“By denying women their rightful place in decision-making, the government has failed the people of Meghalaya and tarnished its proud legacy of gender respect,” she added.
MPMC general secretary Manuel Badwar reinforced the criticism, arguing that representation of both women and minorities was vital for an inclusive cabinet. “It’s not just one lady who’s capable. There are three female representatives in the MDA (Ampareen Lyngdoh, Santa Mary Shylla and Mehtab Chandee Sangma). The cabinet should have included at least one woman, especially in a matrilineal society where injustice and crimes against women and children are rising,” he said.
He alleged that the cabinet reshuffle reflected “invisible hands of the BJP” and was designed to consolidate power into a business-like cartel. “They are forming a group of people who are there to plunder the state. The wealth of the state is going to a very few, leaving the poorest of the poor deprived. This cabinet is not well spread; it is becoming a family cartel with the intention to do business and make merry while in power,” Badwar remarked.
Raising concerns over the law-and-order situation, he argued that without women ministers, the government risks losing touch with the realities on the ground. “Women can understand children much better, and with the rise in crimes against children, their presence in the pillars of power is crucial. Sometimes women would like to address their problems to a woman minister, but in this cabinet, there is none,” he said.
The VPP accused the ruling dispensation of prioritising political convenience over public welfare, arguing that the reshuffle appeared to serve party interests rather than the needs of the state.
VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh said cabinet reshuffles were the prerogative of those in power, but cautioned that such changes should be guided by performance and service delivery instead of political calculations. He argued that the ultimate aim of a minister was to serve the people, and if reshuffles were carried out only to accommodate disgruntled members or balance equations within the coalition, then the people gained nothing from the process.
According to him, such reshuffles only advanced the interests of the political class while reducing citizens to mere spectators.
Myrboh suggested that in its current form, the reshuffle seemed to be motivated by political expediency rather than administrative considerations.
On the removal of Rakkam A. Sangma as Education Minister, Myrboh said the step was justified given Rakkam’s “total failure” in the education sector.
However, he was sceptical about the replacement, pointing out that Lahkmen Rymbui had previously held the same portfolio without delivering tangible results.
He, however, wished the new minister well and hoped he would perform better this time.