Shillong: Voice of the People Party president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said the Meghalaya government only moves on public issues after pressure from the streets. He spoke out Saturday following the state's decision to scrap a notification allowing recruitment to teaching posts under the Structured Pay Framework. The party boss claimed this rollback proves his warnings in the Assembly were correct.
Basaiawmoit credited the All Primary School Teachers’ Association and deficit teachers for forcing the hand of the state. He insisted he flagged the Education Department's plan long before any groups organized. "We had already discussed the problems faced by teachers in the Assembly and raised the notification issued by the Education Department. We felt that this could become a major problem," Basaiawmoit told reporters.
The VPP leader accused the government of trying to compromise the leadership of various organizations to silence opposition. He argued that the opinions of a few organizational heads do not match those of the rank and file. According to Basaiawmoit, most teachers side with his party regardless of external pressure.
He pointed to the Lumpongdeng Island project as another case of delayed government action. Basaiawmoit said he raised concerns about the Green-Tech Foundation development in the Assembly before the group launched its protest. He noted he has also questioned state policies regarding Ward’s Lake and Lady Hydari Park to protect green spaces in Shillong. Despite his involvement, he said the Green-Tech Foundation deserves full credit for the project cancellation. The VPP plans to keep pushing on issues, claiming the work is a responsibility of leadership rather than simple political maneuvering.
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