SHILLONG:
All India Trinamool Congress candidate for the North Shillong seat Elgiva Gwyneth Rynjah has blamed the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government for failing on the law and order front in the state.
Speaking to reporters on February 12, Rynjah recalled that there was complete breakdown of law and order soon after the MDA assumed power in 2018 citing the Harijan Colony issue which falls under the North Shillong constituency.
“It first started from our very own constituency with the Harijan Colony issue. I feel so sad that during the tenure of the current government it has ruined the lives of many people in our constituency,” she said.
She said people of the constituency had to suffer due to the mishandling of the entire issue adding that a similar situation arose during the protest against CAB.
It may be mentioned here that the violent agitation started following an exchange of words between a bus driver and a lady residing at Them Iew Mawlong on May 31, 2018 over the parking of a bus.
The altercation that led to the assault of the driver and two other persons by some men in the area, caused a volatile situation with unruly mob demanding shifting of settlers from Them Iew Mawlong.
Mob pelted stones at security personnel during the agitation while security forces resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse the agitated mob. This had led to the imposition of curfew by the district administration in the entire Shillong city for over 80 days.
She also referred to the killing of former HNLC leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, which led to law and order breakdown in Shillong. “Both the chief minister and the Home minister as well as the entire MDA government had fail,” she said.
She also slammed the MDA government for resorting to internet ban whenever there is any problem in the state.
Meanwhile, Rynjah urged the people of the state not to vote for the regional parties as they are part and parcel of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) led by BJP. She said if they have the guts to withdraw themselves from the NEDA, maybe the people will look up to them.
On the chief minister’s claim that there is no opposition in Meghalaya, the TMC candidate said, “When he says that TMC is just a party which has no value I would tell him that the TMC in Meghalaya is the only principal opposition party in the state in the country which dares to fight the BJP.”