Nongkrem MLA and Voice of the People Party (VPP) leader Ardent M Basaiawmoit may be an effective campaigner but he is unable to debate in the Assembly, National People’s Party (NPP) member Pyniaid Sing Syiem has said.
“It is unfortunate that Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, who is also an MLA for Nongkrem and a leader of the VPP, cannot engage in meaningful debate in the Assembly, which is the appropriate forum for such discussions. He only speaks out against the government during election campaigns and public meetings,” Syiem remarked in response to a question from a Nongthymmai constituent during the candidate debate yesterday.
The question raised by the individual was why the NPP often mentions the VPP and its leader.
“This man only knows how to speak against the government during election campaigns and public meetings; he cannot debate in the assembly. There are many statements made by him that we from the government side also need to clarify,” Syiem added.
He emphasised that the NPP, which leads the state government with 32 MLAs, has significant responsibilities for the welfare of the state’s citizens and does not have time to engage in debates. However, certain issues need to be addressed to prevent misleading the public.
He also mentioned his familiarity with Basaiawmoit from their time together in the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP).
“When we advised Basaiawmoit that the fight for Article 371 was not advantageous and could jeopardise the Sixth Schedule, he insisted that he knew better, given his position as president of the HSPDP. As his followers, we had to remain silent,” he said, referring to the ongoing debate on whether Article 371 of the Constitution should be implemented in Meghalaya, which is already under the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule.
Furthermore, Syiem recounted a similar incident during the struggle over the MUDA building bylaws under Basaiawmoit’s leadership.
“While we, as followers, faced a lathi charge and were injured by CRPF personnel during the MUDA issue protest in 2015, when Dr Mukul Sangma was the Chief Minister, our leader Basaiawmoit went off to have tea with Mukul Sangma that evening,” he concluded.
