Photo Courtesy: nenews
Shillong: Meghalaya’s BJP unit has moved to distance itself from a viral social media post attributed to Yuva Morcha president Mewaker Lyngdoh Pakma. The post, which appeared during recent demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, allegedly commanded authorities to "Shoot them! Tear gas ain’t enough!" targeting protesters. BJP spokesperson Arnab Das labeled the claims false. He stated the party requested clarification from Pakma, who categorically denied authoring the post. The party warned that political leaders’ accounts are frequently compromised and urged independent verification before treating such posts as authentic.
This denial arrives as political pressure mounts. The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress demanded disciplinary action against Pakma, arguing that such rhetoric endangers democratic principles. West Garo Hills Youth Congress president Rikrak M. Sangma slammed the remark as "deeply disturbing, irresponsible and fundamentally contrary to the spirit and values enshrined in the Constitution of India." A four-member Congress delegation plans to travel to New Delhi on Wednesday to engage with students. Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India denounced the police crackdown on students, calling the use of force "a heartbreaking assault on the very soul of our democracy."
State BJP officials previously remained silent on the controversy, focusing instead on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives regarding NEET exam reforms. BJP MLA A.L. Hek sidestepped questions about the "shoot them" remark, stating the party remains concerned about students regardless of their affiliation. The party further accused opposition groups of hijacking the student movement for political gain and criticized the Congress for attempting to approach the Prime Minister’s residence. Addressing the broader NEET paper leak controversy, the BJP noted that 13 arrests have been made and urged the public to remain patient as the Union government implements structural changes to the examination system.
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