Shillong, Oct 3: Cabinet minister and government spokesperson Ampareen Lyngdoh on Thursday asked critics to not just disregard the contributions of political leaders.
Her statement assumes significance in the wake of the recent criticism over the appointment of former Tura MP Agatha K Sangma, who also happened to be the younger sister of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, as the chairperson of the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR).
“Don’t write us off like this. It is not fair as all of us worked very hard to be in positions that we have been in,” Lyngdoh, who is also NPP leader, said while speaking strongly about the issue.
Lashing out at those terming Agatha’s appointment as “nepotism”, the cabinet minister said, “What do you mean nepotism? Doesn’t performance count? Doesn’t experience count? What else do you want? She (Agatha) would be the ideal person for the job if you ask me personally. I don’t speak on behalf of anyone. I speak as a political leader. If there are political leaders with her kind of experience, who are willing to still serve the people, where is the harm? Does it really matter whose sister she is or daughter she is?”
“I think the state of Meghalaya is too critical of families, which are political in nature. Why do you not trust that we also have qualifications? Tomorrow another politician’s child or another sister gets, you will zero down on nepotism. To what extent will you take this nepotism to? These are people who are qualified. What do you want us to do? Again, when we bring unqualified people, you will say they are not qualified,” she said.
“I have not spoken to madam; I don’t know how she feels about this but I empathize with what she is going through. I am also the daughter of a politician so you are going to condemn me? You say I have not done a good job? By the way, we also have to stand for elections and we have to win the same elections that any other ordinary citizen has to win okay,” she added.
Lyngdoh also emphasized the need for people to view politicians based on their own merit.
“Please sometimes view politicians for their own merit and the ground they stand on. I request the people of Meghalaya not to be unkind like this. Yes, we are a political class. Are you going to condemn us all the time? Are you forgetting the contribution of that politician to the state of Meghalaya? And are all of us dumb and without qualification? Why are we not qualified? Please there is a limit to this debate, nepotism-nepotism. If people of a constituency choose a particular person for being a child or a wife or a husband of a political leader, why is it such a problem?”
“Why don’t you let the political class also have some life? We are also human, you know. We also have an ambition, which is directed to service to the state and the people of this nation. Why is it that people are so mean to us? This has to end,” she stated.
Asked, the cabinet minister said, “Do not twist the statement that I made. If a person happens to be a three-time MP and is qualified to take up a post of the chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, will you deny that person just because she is someone’s sister? You will forget the three-term of MPship that she has given to the state. What are you saying? Don’t twist what I said. I said it very clearly, though we come from a political representative class, we are also human beings. Tomorrow, if I retire and somebody calls me to contribute my services to a particular assignment, you will say don’t give it to her? She did nothing for 12-15 years? What are you saying? Why are the people being so critical to the people who have served them?”
“Where is the harm? What is wrong? You tell me.”
“Disqualify me on a level playing ground. Don’t disqualify me because I am somebody’s sister, wife or husband. This is very wrong and I feel very strongly about this. I don’t need to represent any political party. I speak as a citizen of the state and as one, who has worked very hard to contribute to the welfare of the state and I feel that madam Agatha is the right person, a person who knows and has knowledge on the matter and a person, who has been a parliamentarian and who has contacts at the right places. What else do you want?” she asked.
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