Photo Courtesy: nenews
Shillong: Thousands of Voice of the People Party (VPP) supporters flooded the streets of Shillong on August 6 to reach the Meghalaya Main Secretariat. The massive demonstration targeted the ruling National People's Party (NPP), specifically naming Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Deputy Chief Ministers Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar. The protest remained peaceful. Police reported no violence.
Led by VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, the crowd included party legislators and representatives from the Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Councils. Supporters traveled from Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills, and other districts, converging at the Civil Hospital and Motphran areas before moving toward the Secretariat. The district administration installed heavy security and placed barricades at strategic points to contain the march.
Before the demonstration, Sangma directed the party to raise concerns on the floor of the Assembly rather than in the streets. Basaiawmoit dismissed this, claiming the march served as a final warning. "The government should take the march seriously. It will serve as a warning that if the government remains adamant in its approach or continues to remain indifferent to the problems faced by the people, the Voice of the People Party may have to intensify its agitation," Basaiawmoit stated.
The party’s ten demands center on government accountability. These include the Lumpongdeng Island five-star hotel project, the demand for a white paper, and allegations of recruitment irregularities within the District Selection Committees and the Meghalaya Public Service Commission. Protesters further pressed for safeguards regarding coal mining, indigenous land rights, and environmental protection. They also cited damaged roads in East Garo Hills, insufficient hostel facilities for needy students, and a lack of support for local entrepreneurs and unemployed youth.
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