Shillong, Jun 10: In a direct challenge to the state government, an Indian Youth Congress (IYC) leader said that it, and not the official opposition parties in Meghalaya, will act as the “main opposition” in the state.
IYC secretary and Meghalaya in-charge Samrat Keshari Jena addressed the state executive committee of the Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress today. The meeting’s main goal was to strengthen the organisation and take its ideology to the youth.
“Meghalaya is facing serious issues related to jobs and drugs,” Jena said. He added that the committee has reviewed all district units and proposed a three-month plan to streamline and regulate functioning.
The IYC’s parent Congress Party has no seats in the Meghalaya Assembly at the moment, after four legislators defected to the ruling National People’s Party (NPP). The divided opposition bloc in the Assembly is made up of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Cong youth leaders decry Govt apathy over NEET chaos
Students have been severely affected, with six known suicides even, by the chaos surrounding the NEET undergraduate medical examination but state and central governments have been apathetic to the students, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) claimed today.
The national entrance test was held on May 3 this year but a few days later it was scrapped after a massive paper leak was uncovered. The authorities have ordered that the test be held again. Many students had to put their lives on hold in order to prepare for the exam and often incurred travel costs to reach their designated exam centres. Now the entire process has to be repeated.
IYC secretary and Meghalaya in-charge Samrat Keshari Jena, who is on a trip to Meghalaya, today said that six students have committed suicide but no one in government, from the Prime Minister down, has expressed much care. “No one is also reaching their families. If you have failed to conduct the exam and after that students have committed suicide, at least have the courtesy to go and meet their family,” Jena said.
He added that the IYC would escalate matters if the next NEET is also a victim of corruption.
Timjim K Momin, president of the Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress, said that as far Meghalaya goes, the Chief Minister has not said or done enough for the students affected. At least 2,000 students from the state have appeared for the NEET but the CM is unable to say anything for them because he is under the thumb of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Momin added.
