Voice of the People Party (VPP) MLA from Mawlai, Brightstarwell Marbaniang, has taken strong exception to a statement made by cabinet minister Kyrmen Shylla, wherein he stated that the people from Jaintia Hills should decide on whether railways are allowed in the region and not outsiders.
Debate raged in the Assembly today regarding whether the “outsiders” Shylla referred two were non-Pnars (including other members of the Khasi-Jaintia community) or non-indigenous people.
Initiating a short-duration-discussion in the Assembly on Wednesday, Marbaniang said that the statement made by the Minister is inappropriate.
Taking strong exception to the statement that outsiders should not interfere, the VPP legislator stated that he does not know what he means by the word “outsiders”.
“As far as I am concerned I use this phrase Khynriam, U Pnar, U Bhoi, U War Maram-Lyngam u dei u paid Khasi ba iar (As Khasi we are one community united). Through the statement made by the Minister I find that he was trying to bring what is known as divisive politics among the Khasi,” Marbaniang said even as he strongly condemned the statement made by Shylla.
He said that as a community, it does need development but not at the expense of one’s existence and identity.
Taking part in the discussion, Nongkrem MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, also of the VPP, said that the statement of Shylla could be a slip of tongue and he should be given the benefit of doubt.
“However, I feel that this kind of a statement needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” Basaiawmoit said.
Asking why one tries to sow seeds of division, differences among the sub-tribes of the Khasis. He said that he knows there are some forces which are trying to divide the community by saying that Pnars are not part of the Khasi tribe.
Meanwhile, United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Lahkmen Rymbui, party colleagues of Shylla, defended the minister by stating that it was not fair to blame him or even to bring the discussion in the House.
Tongkhar said that Shylla’s intention when he said that words could be for people from outside the state should not interfere. “The intention of the Minister is to say that the voice of the people should be heard. What is wrong if we want to hear or to allow the voice of the people to be raised,” Tongkhar said.
Meanwhile, Rymbui said that one has seen that the people from Ri-Bhoi have rejected the railway line into Byrnihat but in Garo Hills there is a rail head upto Mendipathar.
“So we from the Jaintia Hills region would like to hear what the people subscribe to. If people really want railways we should allow it. We are living in a democracy where every person has the right to speak their mind. But to pre-determine that this is anti-Khasi-Jaintia is very wrong,” he added.
Leader of Opposition and Songsak MLA, Dr. Mukul Sangma said that one should always be on guard lest whatever one says is misinterpreted in the manner which may have serious ramifications which affect the sense of oneness and unity and it should be avoided.
Dr. Sangma to say one is a Garo party, Khasi party of Jaintia party is racial and is considered as something not in consistent with the law of a civilized society.
