SHILLONG, APR 7: National People’s Party (NPP) national general secretary and deputy chief minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Saturday slammed the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit for bringing a resolution seeking the dissolution of the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) during his tenure as chief of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).

“Indirectly, when Ardent was CEM, he had brought a resolution for dissolution of the ADC, which was an attempt to bury the jaidbynriew (indigenous community) alive. Fortunately, we still have leaders (who opposed this move) and God did not allow anything to happen to the people of Khasi-Pnar,” Dhar said.

Addressing at an election campaign seeking support for NPP candidate Ampareen Lyngdoh at Mawryngkneng in East Khasi Hills, the deputy chief minister further castigated the VPP president for trying to wipe out the matrilineal society by advocating the taking of father’s surname.

“They (VPP) want to wipe out the indigenous community by changing the surname of the mother to the father but will the people agree and allow this? They say that they love the jaidbynriew but they want to replace the matrilineal society with a patrilineal society, which is largely practiced by people from other communities,” he said.

He said that the VPP president in many of the meetings had claimed to have contributed so much to the jaidbynriew but his major contribution was the exploitation of farmers by introducing the system of deducting the weight of agricultural products.

Slamming the VPP for fooling the people just to get votes, Dhar said, “We have not come here to fool the people but to make them aware unlike the other parties, who are lying to the people of the state just for the sake of getting votes.”

“Elders used to say that there are different kinds of leaders, there are political leaders, there are religious leaders, community leaders and others but what is important here is to respect yourself and respect others. Love yourself but don’t hate others. But it is very unfortunate, there are political parties especially in this particular election campaign, they have no more shame nor respect, they think they are angels and all people are sinners,” he said.

He also claimed that many people are now regretting voting just because they love an election song of a particular party.

“That is why if you love the jaidbynriew, you have to prove it through your deeds. We are elected representatives. We have been elected for five years. You have not elected us to just sit idle at the secretariat or district council. We are your servants, we cannot just take salaries without any work. For example, Pyniaid Sing Syiem was MLA for one and a half year in the bye-election, we have given different schemes here but unfortunately in the 2023 election, vote was given to a person, who was just fooling the people,” Dhar said.

Stating there is a big difference between the VPP and NPP, the deputy CM said, “VPP means Voice of the Pynbeit Paidbah” party (or a party which is just fooling the people) but NPP means Nang Pynphuh Pynphein iow Paidbah (or a party for uplifting the interest and welfare of the people)”.

Lauding the BJP’s decision to support the NPP, he however said, “Just because we work with the BJP, it doesn’t mean we are the same, we have different ideologies. Doesn’t mean just because you vote for me, you will take my surname Dhar. If you vote for Ampareen, you will not be asked to convert your clan to Lyngdoh. But look at the PM’s wisdom. He said they will support the MDA government because of its performance.”

On some criticizing NPP organizing meetings on Sundays, Dhar said, “We have to respect people’s sentiments. Some people wanted us to hold meetings on such days. Tomorrow, I have a meeting at Jhalupara since people requested so I have to respect their sentiment. That is the duty of a leader. Leaders cannot underestimate anyone. We are here to correct things.”

He further stated that despite so many things being said against the government, the NPP government under the leadership of Conrad K Sangma and Prestone Tynsong is heading in the right direction.

“After taking over MDA government in 2018, one of the political leaders had stated that this was just an ad hoc government and that it will soon be toppled but this ad hoc government has turned out to be a permanent government for the last 6 years. The reason is it is working for the interest of the people,” he asserted.

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