Shillong, Aug 21:A failure to listen to the concerns of the public was a direct cause of the violence that descended on Shillong on Wednesday, Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said today.
Addressing a press conference, Dr Sangma blamed the state government for the law and order breakdown during the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) rally that day. He said that the petrol bombs and arson was not spontaneous but a result of ignored public grievances.
“This didn’t happen out of the blue. It’s frustration building up because the government refuses to listen to long-pending issues raised by civil society,” Dr Sangma said.
He also criticised the state government for what he described was a failure to police the rally, for which the KSU had sought and received permission to hold.
“If you gave permission for the rally, why was there no public advisory? The government has all the resources to get intelligence and put safeguards. What happened should never have happened,” Dr Sangma said.
He also warned of the danger of spinning the unrest as a Meghalaya versus Assam clash or one between different communities.
“This is not about communities. This is about government failure. Don’t let this be shaped into something that damages both sides,” he said.
Dr Sangma urged citizens to stay calm and not view Wednesday’s events through a communal lens, stressing it was only possible because the government failed to act in time.
