The Trinamool Congress (TMC) Meghalaya today demanded for an independent inquiry monitored by the Meghalaya High Court to investigate the violence that happened in Tura on July 24.
In a statement issued today, the TMC also demanded immediate suspension of the Director General of Police (DGP) Lajja Ram Bishnoi and Superintendent of Police (SP) of West Garo Hills Vivekanand Singh Rathore “as due to their failure in executing their duties they have gravely endangered the life of the chief minister and have put at risk many innocent lives that have participated in the meeting.
“The complicity of the police cannot be ruled out in instigating the violence inspite of them knowing about the ‘planned conspiracy’ well in time,” the party said.
The TMC also expressed shock and dismay on the statement made by Bishnoi on the immediate investigation made by the Police Department on the incident that occurred in Tura on July 24.
It also said that the statement by the DGP gravely highlighted the incompetence and failure of the Police Department under his leadership which has ended in mob violence and subsequent fallout of events.
“The DGP, Meghalaya has disclosed that there was a ‘planned conspiracy’ to harm the chief minister. This itself shows the incompetence and abject failure of the Police Department in timely detection of the ‘planned conspiracy’ while it was hatched. Under Bishnoi, the police have endangered the life of the chief minister and put at risk the lives of many innocent people who had peacefully gathered before the CMO, Tura,” the TMC said.
According to the TMC, the anger that was venting against cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh prior to her visit to Tura was ignored and the Police Department was taking matters casually.
“The posts in social media indicate that emotions and aspirations were already running high. Even the MLAs were targeted in numerous online comments. This points to one glaring fact – that the Police Department was complicit in allowing the violence to happen and have endangered the life of the chief minister. There is a larger modus operandi that attempts to taint innocent people, women, local leaders, political parties and even NGOs,” the party said.
While condemning the perpetrators of violence and appealing for peace to be maintained at all cost, the TMC said that issues cannot be solved by violence. “Dialogue and communication should be the way forward and the safety of the people should be the mandate of one and all,” it added.
Meanwhile, the TMC youth wing in a statement issued today termed the arrest of TMC youth wing leader Richard Marak as a case of blatant misuse of power against him.
“It appears to suggest that we have transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy. The misuse of State agency like that of the office of SP to settle political scores outside of the electoral battlefield is strongly condemnable as it does not bode well for our society and our democracy,” TMC State youth wing president Fernandez S. Dkhar said.
Dkhar also said that the arrest of Marak by the Tura Police in connection with the violence in Tura was “smack of a political conspiracy”.
“Richard Marak’s arrest will be cited as an example of a political witch-hunt. This is not the first time and also not a surprise. Before the recent State election, there have been raids conducted, cases lodged, and arrests of Bernand Sangma, MDC. Tura Police have sparked suspicion that they were working as extended wings of the South Tura MLA who happened to be the chief minister.
The TMC youth wing president also demanded for setting up of an independent inquiry into the entire incident monitored by the Meghalaya High Court.
