SHILLONG, March 9: Is it the fear of being trolled on social media or not being thorough with the subject at hand? Or is it just that Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has donned the role of John Rambo (a character played by Sylvester Stallion where he singlehandedly takes on his enemies)?
Whatever the reason may be, but the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has been witnessing a new trend since the last few sessions.
On Monday, an Opposition MLA raised a question on coke plants which was directed to the Commerce and Industries Minister and despite the minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar, being present in the House, the CM stood up to reply on his behalf.
There was a repeat on Tuesday. A question was posed on the status of the Central Agriculture University (CAU) and Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh was supposed to answer but again the CM replied on his colleague’s behalf.
Reacting to this trend, a Congress legislator on request of anonymity said, “They have been doing this since the Autumn session last year. Banteidor Lyngdoh and few other ministers disappeared from the House during question hour.”
“This is not a healthy trend in parliamentary democracy. Why are they (ministers) scared of being grilled,” the Congress MLA questioned.
“It just shows that they are either not aware or they are not serious about the subject matter. People of the state expect the minister concerned to give details and answer queries on subjects related to his/her portfolio,” the Opposition member added.
Addressing the CM as John Rambo of the MDA, the MLA advised the former to let his ministers take on questions directly and answer to the queries raised by the members.
The Congress MLA reminded that members of the Treasury may assist and bail each other out of tricky situations but the CM should desist from answering each and every question directed at his ministers.
