By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 24: Tura MP Saleng Sangma expressed strong displeasure over the condition of the regional office of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), stating that the office was “too small” and staffed by only three lower-level employees.
Sangma, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, inspected the office on Monday and voiced concern over how the North East regional office—headquartered in Shillong—is being managed. He said he decided to visit the office after being informed during a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee that a regional NCST office was functioning in Shillong.
“To my surprise, there are only three staff members—one contractual employee and two lower-level officials,” he said, adding that the office, which is the only NCST office in the Northeast, has registered only 27-28 cases of atrocities against Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.
Pointing out that hundreds of such cases are reported across the North East, he lamented that the office appears inactive and that “nobody knows what went wrong” with its functioning.
Recalling incidents of rape, violence in various Northeastern states, and even cases of people being killed by Assam Police along the Assam-Meghalaya border, Sangma said he would apprise the Parliamentary Standing Committee about the situation at the Shillong office.
Stating that the regional office has been neglected for too long, the Tura MP said he would also strongly raise the issue with the central government.
