The Trinamool Congress (TMC) took their opposition to the border deal signed by the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government with its counterpart in Assam to Parliament today, with legislators demonstrating in the national capital on this and other issues today.
The TMC also protested for the inclusion of the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Leader of the opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma, said that the border deal does not have the acceptance of the people.
“The people of Assam and Meghalaya are like brothers and sisters. We are an integral part of the vibrant community of the North East states,” Dr Sangma said. “There are 12 identified areas of difference between the two states. The dispute resolution process must be acceptable to all stakeholders and we are trying to draw the attention of the Centre to take cognisance of the sentiments of people and scrap the MoU (memorandum of understanding).”
The MoU was signed by the Chief Ministers of the two states in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi in March. It still requires approval by Parliament to come into force.
Dr Sangma, a former Chief Minister, urged the central government to repeal the border deal, alleging that no stakeholders were consulted before it was signed.
Also present at the protest were TMC MLAs Charles Pyngrope, Zenith Sangma, George B Lyngdoh and Dikanchi D Shira, among others.
On the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eight Schedule, Sangma said, “We don’t understand the reason for the delay. The inclusion of these languages in the Eighth Schedule will provide a fair playing ground for the youth of the state.”
At a press conference following the protest, Sangma lamented that that the voice of the people of Meghalaya falls on deaf ears in the state and at the national level.
“My political innings began in 1993. The voices of people are not considered and taken into cognizance by the government of the day. In the history of my political innings, it is the first time that such a protest was demonstrated which strongly highlights our frustration,” he said.
The opposition leader termed the present MDA government “incompetent” in managing law and order and “insensitive” to the youth. He referred to the sight of assault weapons being paraded in a stolen police vehicle by masked youth waving black flags in Shillong last year.
“The magnitude of problems is terrifying in the northeast. The quantity of drugs, the number of peddlers is proliferating every day. The policies of the MDA government are encouraging gambling and other vices which are not consistent with our cultural ethos,” he said.
