SHILLONG: The proposed debate between UDP’s Nongkrem candidate HS Shylla and Mawphlang legislator Kennedy Khyriem over issues related to Khasi customs scheduled for Tuesday has been called off.
The debate was planned on the last market day at Smit before the December 13 by-polls to KHADC.
Congress leader John Kharshiing on Monday wrote to the village head for permission to hold the debate and the latter consulted the matter with East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner PS Dkhar.
Congress sources said that reluctance on the part of the village head and the Deputy Commissioner compelled Khyriem to call off the debate.
When contacted, the DC said that the Congress may not have asked for permission to hold the rally in advance or there is a possibility that the party had already held the rally in the same venue. Kharshiing, however, said that it was only after Shylla challenged the Congress legislator Khyriem through the media for a debate that Khyriem accepted the challenge.
During the election campaign at Smit on November 28, Khyriem had said that the Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Act 1997, which was given assent to by the Governor, was hurriedly made without framing rules.
Khyriem had said that Shylla used the Act to disqualify Congress leader Waibha Kyndiah who took the surname from his father.
Waibha was the Congress candidate from Nongkrem constituency for the 2008 Assembly polls, but Shylla, who was the KHADC CEM then, had also applied for the party ticket from the same constituency but in vain.
