Jowai, Feb 3: Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) chief Conrad K Sangma on Friday heavily criticized TMC leader and leader of opposition Dr Mukul Sangma for using force and brutality against the people of the State during his time in power and labelled him a ‘weak leader’.

“The opposition parties who point fingers at us and say that NPP is weak, for them maybe during their time they have used guns, they have used police, they have used brutal force against the people, if that is what they call as being strong, then I disagree. It is easy to use force, it is easy to use the police and ask them to fire on innocent people, it is not easy to engage and speak to people and talk to them and have a dialogue, carry people along and move forward,” Conrad said at an election meeting in Jowai on Friday wherein he also released the youth and farmer centric election manifesto of the party titled ‘People’s Document – Vision 2023-2028’.

“In fact, I dare to say, if there was somebody who was weak it was Dr Mukul Sangma. It was during his time that in every situation whatever happens, he sought to use force, brutal force, to bring down any kind of opposition; that is not a sign of leadership,” he asserted in front of the massive crowd gathered to witness the leaders of the party.

He further said a leader should care for his people. “As a leader you love your people, you don’t harm them by using force. In the last 5 years, whenever there was a situation where we had to face difficult challenges, you must have noticed, we never used police brutally or force but we chose the path of peace and dialogue, to find solution to different problems,” he mentioned.

The election meeting at Jowai was organised to drum up support for NPP’s sitting legislator from Jowai, Wailadmiki Shylla, who is seeking to retain the seat from the biggest urban hub of the Jaintia Hills. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister and Pynursla MLA Prestone Tynsong, Cabinet Minister and Nartiang MLA Sniawbhalang Dhar, Raliang MLA Comingone Ymbon, NPP’s East Shillong candidate Dr. Ampareen Lyngdoh among other top leaders of the party.

Further, taking on his critics who have called him weak, Conrad said, “Let me explain to those critics, there is a different between being weak and being soft. We have asked, we listen to our people, we would like to do things by ensuring that there is dialogue. That does not mean that we are weak. It’s just that we have heart for our people. But our softness should not be taken as a weakness or that we do not have a will. We may be soft and listen to the people, but we have the political will to ensure that we take tough decisions when required. We listen to the people but we do what we feel is correct and in the best interest of the people and the State.”