Shillong: The NPP-led MDA-II government is facing intense heat from civil society, pressure groups, and political leaders. The Shillong Peak Ropeway project has become a major flashpoint. Women protesters have maintained a day-and-night sit-in for five consecutive days.
Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) member Angela Rangad criticized Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh for skipping the local crisis. He joined a delegation of 21 elected representatives and bureaucrats on a trip to the United Kingdom. “Rather than addressing the grievances being raised by women who have been staging a day-and-night protest for five days, the minister in charge is gallivanting in the UK as part of a contingent comprising 21 elected representatives and several bureaucrats,” she said. Rangad argued the officials should study the UK National Trust model to learn how to protect local heritage and ecology.
Critics claim the administration is becoming intolerant of dissent. VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh warned against dismissing minority opinions. “The fact that a government has been elected does not mean that people have surrendered their sovereignty for the next five years,” Myrboh noted. Former bureaucrat Toki Blah questioned Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma regarding his leadership style. Blah suggested the NPP’s 36-seat majority makes the BJP’s participation redundant and weakens the democratic balance.
Pressure groups cited multiple grievances. KSU general secretary Reuben Najiar claimed the state labels all protests as anti-development. He pointed to the Shillong Literary Festival at Ward’s Lake and a controversial Shree Cement project in Daistong as evidence. FKJGP East Khasi Hills president Kitboklang Nongphlang urged the government to engage with citizens before protests erupt. CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing warned that the government is drifting toward dictatorship. She highlighted that protesters want protection for Lum Shyllong’s catchment areas. Meanwhile, critics noted the administration continues to fund festivals while teachers and contractual employees reportedly face unpaid wages.
Comments