SHILLONG: The BJP led-NDA Government under the leadership of Narendra Modi is all set to form the Government once again in New Delhi and with this mandate, the concern here in the region is the issue of Citizenship Amendment Bill.
The Shillong Times spoke to people from varied background and sought their opinion as to what they feel about the thumping majority of Modi and what does the mandate has in store for Meghalaya and the North East.
Former Home Minister, RG Lyngdoh said that with NPP being there as part of the NDA, the relationship between the Central and the State Government will be quite good provided the Centre does not do anything that will jeopardize the relationship.
“ We have seen that Modi won comfortably and how that is going to actually influence his policies is yet to be seen. Maybe he will be more emboldened to do things,” Lyngdoh said while adding that the NPP will have a role to play in ensuring that the interest of North East is not sacrificed or jeopardized.
Echoing similar views, advisor of the North Eastern Hill University Students Union, Rangdajied Marwein said that the tabling of the Citizenship Amendment Bill will only create disturbances in the region and as a student, they do not want any such events.
He also said that whichever government comes to power, as a youth they are concerned about employment and the government should ensure that higher and technical education is prioritized and not privatized.
“Rather they should build more state and Central Universities,” he said while adding that they want some infrastructural developments to take place in Meghalaya.
A prominent citizen and environmentalist, Naba Bhattacharjee said that the relationship between the State and Centre should be good even as he added that it is high time that regional parties should come at the forefront since Congress is more or less finished.
“Regional parties have an important role to play and they should strengthen themselves,” he said.
Former IAS officer and a social activist, Toki Blah says that there is nothing more to say when people of India have spoken and given their mandate. He said that as the state and the Centre is expected to get along well, it would be a win-win situation for Meghalaya.
