Shillong, Jul 21: The opposition Congress Party, pressure groups and civil society organisations today condemned the president of the Meghalaya unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mewaker Lyngdoh Pakma, for a social media post yesterday where he called for protestors in Delhi to be shot.
Police had used tear gas against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protestors in Delhi yesterday and Pakma, on his Facebook and Instagram statuses, had written “Shoot them! Tear gas ain’t enough!”
Several of those condemning Pakma for his inflammatory rhetoric cited a Highland Post piece. That report contained an inadvertent error in the dateline, reading “Jan 24” instead of “Jul 21”. The error was later corrected on HP’s website.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress demanded action against Pakma, describing the remark as irresponsible and unbecoming of a political leader.
Addressing a press conference, state Youth Congress vice-president Jonathan Syiem said the statement was particularly disturbing as it came from a practising lawyer who also heads the youth wing of a national political party.
“As a youth from Meghalaya, it is a disgrace to see such a mindset. The BJP should initiate action against him. We want him to step down and be held accountable for making such a statement,” Syiem said.
Joining the criticism, Congress Seva Dal chief organiser Banphira Basaiawmoit said the remark was unacceptable not only to the Congress but to every citizen.
“The statement reflects the attitude of the BJP towards young people and democratic protests. We have witnessed the violence in Delhi, where police and government machinery were allegedly used against protesters. Such comments only reinforce that mindset,” he said.
The status was apparently deleted from both Facebook and Instagram sometime this morning. Pakma’s Facebook page was later made private, though his Instagram was still viewable by the public at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, social activist Angela Rangad also condemned the alleged remarks, calling for suo motu legal action against the BJP youth leader.
In a statement, Rangad alleged that the comment was a deliberate attempt to incite violence and accused the BJP of fostering a culture where hate speech and intimidation have become normalised.
She further alleged that such rhetoric undermines constitutional values and reflects a broader pattern of intolerance within the party.
The president of the Meghalaya Pradesh Trinamool Youth Congress also slammed Pakma, saying, “[I] condemn him and his mentality. Or is he suffering from mental issues?!”
Fernandez S Dkhar added, “Calling for protesters to be shot is deeply irresponsible and unacceptable. Such rhetoric shows a dangerous disregard for democratic rights, peaceful dissent and human life and it should be condemned unequivocally. The BJP Meghalaya must terminate him from the post of youth wing president and from all membership.”
The education secretary of the Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC), meanwhile, said the words of Pakma were a “dangerous incitement to violence”.
“If the statement has been accurately reported, it is not merely irresponsible, it is a dangerous incitement to violence and a direct assault on the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution of India,” Enlang Sawian stated, adding that calling for bullets instead of dialogue is the language of authoritarianism, not democracy.
He said that no political leader, regardless of position or ideology, has the moral or constitutional authority to advocate violence against citizens exercising their fundamental rights. The pressure group demanded that the state BJP clarify its stance over such alleged remarks, initiate appropriate disciplinary action against Pakma and issue an unconditional public apology.
“Silence or inaction in the face of such statements will only embolden those who seek to normalise violence as a political tool,” Sawian said.
The HYC also urged the authorities to examine whether the reported statement amounts to an offence under the law.
The BJP has not yet issued an official response to the allegations or the demands made by the Youth Congress, Rangad, HYC or TMC.
