SHILLONG, MAY 6: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday criticised the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) for skipping the all-party meeting convened to discuss the expert committee’s report on the state reservation policy, saying parties must “show it in action” if they care about the issue.
“Yesterday, I was quite disappointed,” Sangma said while addressing at a party meeting for declaring KAS president Dr DRL Nonglait as the official candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha bypoll.
“As you are aware there was an expert committee that had come up with a report on the reservation issue and based on the demands given by the opposition on the floor of the House that an all-party meeting should be called to further discuss the report and deliberate on further actions that should be taken, I have called a meeting yesterday of all political parties.”
He added, “But sadly while all the other political parties attended, one political party who in the beginning had raised this issue and tried to show to the region and the people that they are very concerned about this issue and that they will fight for this issue till the last breath… yesterday I received a letter from them saying that they have other pressing issues because of which they can’t come for this particular issue.”
Stressing action over rhetoric, the Chief Minister said, “Friends, we say in English we have to walk the talk and as I said in the beginning it is not just our words but it is our deeds that matter. If you love your people and if you love your land show it in action, show it democratically and show it constitutionally.”
Defending his government’s record, Sangma said, “Friends for the last 8 years, it has not been easy for us. There is no one single issue that was there for the last 50 years that previous governments could not with due respect were not able to touch or resolve, but it is this NPP-led government that took the decision, difficult decisions, took up the challenge, put the people in front, believe it is not just words but in our deeds and our actions that we have to show our love for the people and our land.”
He cited several issues addressed by his government. “In the last 8 years where it is the boundary issue, or whether it is having the ST certificate in the GHADC, whether it is simple aspects of having our own state anthem, having our own state emblem whether it is issue of Khasi and Garo official languages – many such issues were taken up by this NPP-led government,” he said.
When asked about his earlier remarks about “street politics,” Sangma told reporters, “We are a parliamentary democracy and the legislature is the highest level of democracy and it is there that we take up issues that are important to the people and the state and as elected members that is how we move in democracy… Therefore, what is important is to live by the letter and spirit of the constitution and provisions of parliamentary democracy.”
He reiterated why the meeting mattered.
“Based on that during the debates and discussions, when I had laid the report of the expert committee that certain political parties from the opposition had demanded that an all-party meeting should be called to discuss this matter in detail, which is what I did. I had given a commitment and assurance to the House and I went ahead with my assurance and called all the parties.”
“But as I said certain political parties informed me that they are not able to come as they had other important issues that needed to be addressed,” he said.
“So what is important is when we are looking at an issue then we must go all out for what we believe in, we have to take the options – this meeting was very important because in a constitution, in a government, in a democratic parliamentary democracy, these are the platforms which you take up these issues and matters and it is not that we go to the streets for every single issue specially when opportunities are given in a democratic and constitutional manner to take up the matter,” Sangma said.
He added, “It is sad that certain political parties though demanded it but ultimately did not come and attend it.”
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
 for skipping the all-party meeting convened to discuss the expert committee’s report on the state reservation policy, saying parties must “show it in action” if they care about the issue.){kind=link}