UDP general secretary, Jemino Mawthoh, has described tweets made by former Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy as “uncalled for” and capable of instigating “communal disharmony.”
Speaking to Highland Post today, Mawthoh said, “We are not happy to hear all these kinds of instigation that bring communal disharmony amid the Covid-19 pandemic, especially when the festive season is going on.”
Roy, a prolific tweeter, had on October 21 said that the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) should be outlawed after it had protested against ‘Bangladeshis’.
The former governor even called the KSU an anti-national, terrorist organisation. Earlier that same day Roy had called for Bengalis, Sikhs, Gorkhas and Biharis to unite under the saffron banner.
Stating that the multicultural people of Meghalaya have been living in peaceful coexistence for decades, Mawthoh said, “We are going to live and die here because this is our state, our place and our land and we don’t want these kinds of elements to come and create communal tension and create differences among the communities.”
On recent protests in Kolkata and Assam against the KSU and Khasis, the UDP leader said that these protests were led by “elements who are trying to paint a communal picture and such elements should not be entertained.”
He informed that the UDP will meet to discuss this and other issues in the coming days and urged the public not to pay heed to divisive comments. Mawthoh also appealed to the government and police to crack down against communalism.
Paul not surprised by Roy’s comments
Meanwhile, former KSU Leader and Jaiaw MDC Paul Lyngdoh today said that the statement made by the ex-Governor is not surprising because Roy had declared that he was an RSS functionary first and Governor second.
“The way he addresses himself fits the bill and his description of himself is utterly irresponsible and highly condemnable,” Lyngdoh said.
