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Friday, March 29, 2024

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Friday, March 29, 2024

Heated debate in Assembly over border MoU with Assam

SHILLONG:

Tempers flared in the Meghalaya Assembly during question hour on, September 14, between Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and deputy Chief Minister on one side and KHNAM legislator Adelbert Nongrum on the other side.

Initially, Nongrum wanted to know whether the government dared to review the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Meghalaya and Assam in the first six areas of differences in Phase I.

Sangma in his reply asked whether the KHNAM legislator knew by heart all the 12 areas of differences.

Taking offence to this, the Nongrum said that he won’t read out the names of the areas of differences.

Intervening in the matter deputy Chief Minister in-charge Parliamentary Affairs Prestone Tynsong said that the KHNAM legislator was being emotional and a war of words ensued.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the legislator does not know anything and acts as if he is the only person who is concerned about Meghalaya.

Nongrum again stood up and asked whether being emotional is communal, and a sin.

Later, the Chief Minister said that all become emotional about the areas of differences along the Meghalaya-Assam border without even knowing the names of these villagers.

Sangma said that if there are specific areas of concern, these are to be named and which areas he wants the government to review.

“Just creating a scene and drama and showing emotional outburst is not the way. But to come here and shout for whatever reasons we don’t know maybe elections are coming that does not help,” the Chief Minister said.

Sangma said that his government dared to move ahead and try to solve the long pending border issue with Assam.

“This is the only government that dared to say we will do it. We took it as our responsibility that we will do this. It is we who dared,” he said.

Sangma said that in the last eight months the Chief Ministers of Meghalaya and Assam before the MoU was signed met seven times, he met the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council and traditional heads on the December 15, 2021, Sangma had two meetings with all political parties (December 15, 2021 and March 7, 2022), two meetings with the NGOS once in December 15, 2021 and February 23, 2022.

Earlier, Nongrum told the Speaker that he was annoyed by the latter since even after raising his hands several times he was not given the time to ask questions.

The Speaker,Metbah Lyngdoh urged Nongrum to refrain from disrespecting the Chair.

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