Shillong, Aug 26: The upcoming Autumn Session of Meghalaya Assembly is set to be stormy as opposition Congress has prepared its arsenal well, especially with the recent law and order situation in Khasi-Jaintia Hills and Shillong in particular. The party promises to give hard time to the NPP-led MDA government with its questions, and would not settle for anything less than a satisfactory explanation.
The opposition will be focusing its attack on the re-emergence of militant activities and clashes at inter-state boundaries, as well as the tension in Shillong.
Law and order situation a key issue
Talking to reporters after a CLP meeting on Wednesday, Leader of Opposition Dr. Mukul Sangma said the prevailing sense of insecurity amongst the people across the state will be one of the key issues to be raised by the opposition.
He said there is a sense of insecurity due to the ‘resurgence and re-emergence’ of various militant and insurgent activities across the state and there is a palpable feeling of frustration, loss of hope and anger amongst the people, particularly the youth due to lack of opportunities.
Stating that this is one of the crucial issues confronting the people of the state, Dr. Sangma said people are frustrated and angry because of lack of opportunities created by the government in the last three years. Even the opportunities that have been created have somehow being snatched away by other people. “Those are things which we will dwell when we present it before the August House,” he said.
The former Chief Minister also informed that the opposition would come down heavily on the government on the issue of sense of insecurity amongst the people who are residing along the inter-state border.
Stating that the party is “deeply disturbed by this development”, he claimed that the government of the day has failed to reinstill a sense of security amongst the people and has failed to respond appropriately to instances where there has been intrusion by people from the neighbouring state.
Other issues to be raised
Dr. Sangma said his party would also highlight the issue of livelihood, the impact of lack of governance on the lives of the farmers. He also alleged that numerous programmes have been dislocated, which were designed and initiated to enable that farming activities are seen as something remunerative, thereby creating multiple options of livelihood including generating entrepreneurship and business.
“These (programmes) have gone, and this is an issue which farmers feel we must take up and people have come and met our colleagues and stressed the need to take up this issue,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition further stated that the whole issue of curtailing people’s way of life, people’s rights, liberty including food habits and creating a situation where people are feeling depressed for not getting what they should get will also be taken up.
