By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 15: The United Democratic Party (UDP), a key ally in the NPP-led MDA 2.0 Government, on Sunday firmly rejected opposition demands for Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma’s resignation “on moral grounds” amid allegations linked to ongoing illegal coal mining in the state.
The party welcomed the government’s recent decision to launch both a Judicial Inquiry Commission and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter thoroughly.
This follows the tragic dynamite explosion on February 5 at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in the Mynsngat-Thangsko area of East Jaintia Hills, which claimed 31 lives and renewed scrutiny over enforcement failures despite the long-standing NGT ban on such activities.
UDP general secretary Titosstarwell Chyne described the twin probes as a “welcome step”, observing that the government is duty-bound to act decisively whenever illegality is detected.
He recalled the existing NGT order, which prohibits rat-hole mining due to environmental and safety risks, and stressed that the state must now take firm action against those involved.
Chyne called for uniform enforcement of the law, stating, “If the police can arrest petty thieves, there should be no hesitation in acting against those engaged in illegal coal mining. There cannot be different standards for upholding the law.”
Addressing calls for the Chief Minister’s resignation—raised by VPP and pressure groups, which cited moral responsibility for repeated mining tragedies—Chyne dismissed them as unjustified.
He drew an analogy: “In a murder case, does the Chief Minister resign simply because a crime occurred in the state? There is no basis for such a demand here.”
He urged that the inquiries be allowed to proceed independently and without interference. “Once the findings are submitted and responsibility is clearly established, appropriate action must be taken against those found guilty of involvement in illegal activities,” Chyne added.
