Opposition Chief Whip and Mawlai MLA, Process T Sawkmie, today expressed surprise that ministers of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government were totally absent during yesterday’s visit of the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju.
Rijiju had been in Shillong to inaugurate two sports-related facilities at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and the Assam Rifles headquarters. Only civil servants were there to welcome and accompany Rijiju.
“Even the state’s Sports Minister (Banteidor Lyngdoh) was not present during the visit,” Sawkmie said.
According to the Congress politician, Meghalaya missed a big opportunity to discuss several issues with the Union minister, especially in relation to the National Games, which Meghalaya is supposed to hold in 2022 but which even Rijiju said could be postponed.
“I don’t understand how our state will prepare for the National Games when, during the visit of the central minister, there were no representatives from the state government to discuss construction of infrastructure,” Sawkmie said.
He also wanted to know if the state government had boycotted the visit or if the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports did not inform Meghalaya of Rijiju’s visit.
The MLA also said that the present government has almost completed three years in office but has yet to act on any of his proposals to improve sports facilities in his Mawlai constituency.
