Tura, Feb 1: Voters from Babelapara, including the youth wing of the NPP, who voted for Rakesh A Sangma to be their new Babelapara MDC in last year’s GHADC election has strongly condemned the ongoing attack on their leader by pressure groups and vested interest persons who are questioning his ethnicity.

Several pressure groups in Tura have objected to Rakesh A Sangma being elected the new CEM of GHADC in an election on Monday and questioned his tribal status.

“Rakesh Sangma was elected as MDC to GHADC almost 9 months ago from our tribal constituency of Babelapara in Purakhasia. He then went on to win the election to the post of Chairman of GHADC. Till that time he was a Garo, but now that he has been elected as CEM he has suddenly become non-Garo? We condemn such tarnishing of our leader’s image,” stated NPP youth members from Babelapara.

“If he was a non-Garo then he would have been barred by the Election Commission from contesting from Babelapara under his family name of A Sangma. The attack on his legitimacy is an attack on the mandate of the people of Babelapara who have overwhelmingly endorsed his leadership by voting him to the district council,” stated the NPP youth members.

Babelapara NPP Youth Front president Hosea D Sangma also issued a separate statement criticising the attacks and providing details about the family history of Rakesh Sangma.

“Those questioning and doubting our MDC should come to Boldamgre village in South West Garo Hills where Rakesh’s grandparents hail from. He is a son of the Agitok mahari of Boldamgre and the son in law of former minister Late Admiral K Sangma,” revealed NPP youth president Hosea D Sangma.