Shillong, May 8: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has expressed his disappointment over the Voice of the People Party’s (VPP) decision abstain from the all-party meeting convened to discuss the expert committee’s report on state reservation policy, asking the party to “show it in action” its concern for the people.
Political parties must “show it in action” if they care about the issue, Sangma said while addressing a meeting of the National People’s Party (NPP) held to declare Dr DRL Nonglait as party candidate for Shillong Lok Sabha bye-election on Thursday.
“I was quite disappointed,” Sangma said while pointing out that the all-party was necessary to discuss the report, which was prepared by the expert committee following the opposition’s demand to review the policy.
Mentioning that all other political parties attended the meeting, Sangma said, “Sadly… one political party, who in the beginning had raised this issue and tried to show to the region and the people that they are very concerned and that they will fight for this issue till the last breath… yesterday I received a letter from them saying that they have other pressing issues because of which they can’t come for this particular issue.”
Stressing action over rhetoric, the Chief Minister said, “Friends, we say in English we have to walk the talk and as I said in the beginning it is not just our words but it is our deeds that matter. If you love your people and if you love your land show it in action, show it democratically and show it constitutionally.”
Highlighting his government’s record, Sangma said, “Friends for the last 8 years, it has not been easy for us. There is no one single issue that was there for the last 50 years that previous governments could not, with due respect, were not able to touch or resolve… it is this NPP-led government that took the decision, difficult decisions, took up the challenge, put the people in front… believe not just words but our deeds and our actions that we have to show our love for the people and our land.”
He cited several issues addressed by his government. “In the last 8 years where it is the boundary issue, or whether it is having the ST certificate in the GHADC, whether it is simple aspects of having our own state anthem, having our own state emblem whether it is issue of Khasi and Garo official languages – many such issues were taken up by this NPP-led government,” he said.
Asked about his earlier remarks about “street politics,” Sangma told reporters, “We are a parliamentary democracy and the legislature is the highest level of democracy and it is there that we take up issues that are important to the people and the state and as elected members that is how we move in democracy.”
