SHILLONG: At least four Cabinet ministers in the Congress-led MUA-II Government escaped reshuffle as they had the support of the chief minister or the AICC.
The chief minister had always defended saying ‘law will take its course’ when questions were raised in the past by the media about action against former Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh for the education scam.
The Opposition had, in the past, made it clear that the minister should have taken at least moral responsibility as the scam took place during her tenure as the education minister. She had claimed that she was innocent.
Another minister who was under flak for not resigning despite pressure from various quarters was Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh.
The pressure groups had pointed out that his guest house in Rilbong was used for sex racket and trafficking and taking moral responsibility, he should have quit or the chief minister should have at least taken away his Home portfolio.
When media had raised questions in the past, in his case too, the chief minister was aggressive in defending the Home Minister.
Unlike HDR Lyngdoh, earlier Cabinet Minister Roshan Warjri had resigned taking moral responsibility for the many killings in Garo Hills by militants.
Two ministers, Sniawbhalang Dhar and Prestone Tynsong, were dropped for ‘anti-party activities’, but Cabinet Minister Deborah Marak, who was considered as a rebel Congress member by the chief minister did not face the axe as she had the
blessings of AICC. Supporters of Deborah feel that the chief minister was quick to find another channel by linking her with GNLA and soon a charge sheet was filed. Neither the then Home Minister Roshan Warjri nor the then DGP PJP Hanaman were aware of the charge sheet filed against Deborah for her alleged links with GNLA. Despite the charge sheet, AICC did not give nod to the chief minister to drop Deborah from the ministry. The case of another cabinet minister, Clement Marak, is his absenteeism.
Due to his illness, he could not attend office at the Secretariat or the Assembly session for a long time.
His portfolios were Forest and Environment, Sericulture and Weaving and Social Welfare.