The ‘Taliban’ remarks made by Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala has earned criticism from the National People’s Party (NPP) stating it was highly despicable and damaging.
NPP spokesperson, Marcuise N. Marak said the words ‘terrorist’ and ‘Taliban’ which were blatantly used to brand Meghalaya and its youth goes to show that the Congress has no understanding of the implications of such damaging statements.
Stating that such remarks explains why the Congress is increasingly becoming a party with no principles he said they (Congress) are making uninformed statements based on one video clip.
“At a time when the NPP-led MDA government is working along with the people to restore peace in the state, it is unfortunate to see that the Congress leaders are fishing in troubled waters by branding our youth ‘Talibans’ and maligning the image of Meghalaya in front of the entire country,” Marak said.
The NPP spokesperson also said the Congress never had any understanding of the socio-political atmosphere of Meghalaya.
“As responsible members of society, the Congress should have exercised restraint and displayed sensitivity in describing the situation in Meghalaya, instead of passing uninformed judgements. For the Congress to use the recent events as an excuse to gain petty political mileage, shows that they do not care if their actions bring a bad name to the state,” the NPP spokesperson said.
The NPP said that the “tasteless” remarks of Surjewala also come at a time when the Voice of Mawlai People – a collective body of all headmen of Mawlai – have resented the social media narrative of branding the youth as “communal”, “terrorists” and “Taliban”.
The NPP also reminded Dr. Mukul Sangma and the Congress that the situation in Meghalaya during their government was characterised by threats and indefinite bandh calls by insurgent outfits.
“Today, one can travel to any part of Khasi, Jaiñtia or Garo Hills without having to deploy security all along the road. Under the MDA government and the leadership of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, there is relative peace in the state. Except for a negligible number of minor volatile incidents, the MDA government under NPP’s leadership has been able to solve them through dialogue and discussions,” the NPP claimed.
The NPP came up with a long list of ‘dictatorial’, ‘undemocratic’ and ‘terrorist-like’ activities perpetrated by the Mukul-led Congress government on the citizens of Meghalaya, which eventually led to the breakdown of law and order in the state.
The NPP pointed out the case of Fullmoon Dhar where he was gunned down by the police on June 1, 2009 after “escaping” from Shillong jail.
Police officer, PJ Marbaniang, an officer-in-charge of Patharkhmah outpost in Ri Bhoi district was found mysteriously shot inside his official quarter in Patharkhmah on January 24, 2015, a day after detaining 32 coal-laden trucks plying illegally on the Patharkhmah route.
The NPP also pointed out that before the 2018 elections, NCP candidate Jonathone Sangma was killed by a militant outfit in Garo Hills, but the Congress government was silent because Jonathone was not from their party.
“Even an enquiry was not set up. In fact, Jonathone had complained about Deborah Marak before the 2013 elections, stating that Marak tried using GNLA militants to intimidate voters. Marak eventually won the seat as a Congress candidate in 2013,” the NPP alleged.
“Lastly, let the Congress not forget how they suppressed protests when nine students were shot down in broad daylight by the police near the MBOSE office in Tura and Williamnagar, when Mukul Sangma was the Home Minister in 2005,” the NPP said.
The NPP said that today, the same Congress is using words like ‘terrorists’ against the people of Meghalaya.
“Surjewala and the Congress must collectively apologise to the people of Meghalaya for making such blatant remarks,” Marak demanded.
Meanwhile, the State BJP also issued a statement on the remarks made by the Congress leader and said that the remarks adds fuel to the fire and is provoking the already agitated local youth.
“Militancy in the Northeast was at its peak during the Congress regime. During its tenure both in the state and centre, the Congress had done nothing to resolve the HNLC issue,” BJP national council member, Bashailang Khongwir said.
The BJP said it was appreciative of the prompt response of the Chief Minister by not sending police force to the sensitive areas of the city, which could have aggravated the tense situation, thereby showing good faith in the local people.
“The Chief Minister displayed deep faith and goodwill and maturity and even decided to fulfill the long-awaited desire of the locals to remove the CRPF temporary camp from Mawlai and by initiating a judicial probe into the killing of the ex-HNLC leader by the police,” the BJP leader said.
He opined that the State government should not take up peace talks with the HNLC on a priority basis after the outfit made an appeal in the past.
Appealing youth to maintain peace he also urged stakeholders to take advantage by jointing the peace committee formed by the government and said, “Such a committee has never happened during the Congress tenure. Dialogue matters and issues could be resolved.”
