Shillong, Apr 25: Voice of the People Party (VPP) president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit slammed Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui questioning the selective application of various legal rulings by the state government.
Basaiawmoit at a public meeting in Rambrai today criticised Rymbui’s remarks accusing the opposition of engaging in ‘political theatre’ over the Teacher Eligibility Test requirements.
“We also know it’s a Supreme Court judgment. But why did the government enforce the ruling of the court only for teachers? There are many rulings of the Supreme Court – like use of tinted glasses where only a selected few are eligible. But here all those who are connected to the MDA have dark glasses,” the VPP president said.
He said that the Supreme Court has warned against illegal coal mining and its transportation but the government is not paying heed and their own people are indulging in illegal coal mining activities till recently where scores of miners were dead during a blast in a quarry in East Jaintia Hills’ Mynsngat-Thangsko area.
Basaiawmoit stated that the VPP did not specifically spoke on the TET but also other issues concerning the teachers of Meghalaya like not giving them election or census duties.
“You ask them to appear for the TET but then sends them for census and election duties apart from giving them a paltry salary,” he criticised.
He was also piqued over the fact that the state government wants teachers who are qualified by giving them many parameters before they are eligible to teach but in the end asks them to pass all students so that the pass percentage goes up and the government gets respect in the country.
He criticized the state’s approach of passing all the students without ensuring quality education, reducing their capacity to succeed in competitive examinations.
The VPP president stated that his argument on any matter is based on research not rhetoric.
Criticisms have emerged questioning the VPP over the need for public meetings to advocate for their eight-point demand. Many observers stated that the party should focus on legislative work within the assembly rather than taking to the streets.
However VPP Lok Sabha MP aspirant, Batskhem Myrboh countered the observation and said that the party was formed not solely to participate in elections but to be a voice for the public.
Myrboh said that the VPP’s ambitions extend well beyond winning the upcoming Lok Sabha by-poll. The party is also diligently planning for the assembly elections in 2028.
Through a series of public meetings organised in the Khasi-Jantia hills, the VPP seeks to mobilize support and reinforce its commitment to advocating for the rights and needs of its constituents.
It may be mentioned that the VPP is organising a series of public meetings all over Khasi-Jantia Hills to drum up support for its eight-point charter of demands against the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance II government.
