SHILLONG, JAN 22: The Congress led MUA 11 coalition government of Mukul Sangma has found an unlikely ally in the state BJP- which is an arch rival of the Congress- as the state saffron party said it will soon be meeting union home minister Rajnath Singh and support to demand of the Congress led state government for deployment of more para military forces to Garo hills to tackle militancy.
State BJP president Shibun Lyngdoh told reporters during a news conference on Friday, “We will be meeting the union home minister Rajnath Singh and request him to send more security forces to the state in order to control the present situation and ensure that the people of Garo Hills lives in peace.”
Lyngdoh informed that the state BJP decided to plead for more security forces to be deployed in the state as Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has recently demanded the same with Singh to assist the state in tackling with the problem.
Lyngdoh informed that a team of three leaders comprising of the state president and two national council members – Edmund K Sangma and DD Sohphoh- will leave for Delhi on Friday to attend the election of the party’s national president to be held on January 24.
Apart from meeting the union home minister, Lyngdoh informed that the delegation would also be meeting other ministers to highlight some of the serious issues concerning the state of Meghalaya.
Admitting that law and order is a state subject, National Council member Edmund K Sangma said, “As and when the state feels that there is inadequate forces, it can always approach the union government for additional forces and even financial support.”
Sangma, however, said convincing the central government is the job of the state government and it needs to prove that it is sincere and serious to address the law and order situation otherwise there is no meaning for the centre to deploy additional forces and give financial assistance.
Urging the state government to be serious and honest in dealing with law and order situation, Sangma said, “When we meet Singh, we will be able to know what is the proposal of the state government with regards to the law and order situation in Garo hills, which has been declared a troubled area in the state.”
According to Sangma, the delegation would also find out the reasons behind the government’s claim that the present available forces are not enough to tackle the law and order situation in the region.
“We would also find out in what way the state government is planning to use the additional forces in the state and whether there is some slackness on the part of the state or whether it is just to share the blame with the union government,” Sangma said.
Sangma felt that the effectiveness of the state government in tackling the law and order situation is not really up to the mark.”
When asked whether the state BJP’s meeting with the union home minister to demand for additional forces can be taken as a joint effort with the state government in view of CM’s recent visit to national capital, Lyngdoh, however said, “But it is also the duty of the central government to look after the law and order situation if the state government cannot tackle the issue.”
Lyngdoh said that the state BJP is not criticizing the state government as the problem of extremist is not only a state problem but also a national problem.-By Our Reporter
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