Refrain from creating social media groups with party name: VPP

The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has urged people to avoid creation of social media groups in the name of the party without the permission from the office of the party.

In a statement, VPP spokesperson Dr Batskhem Myrboh said the party expressed its happiness for the growing support of the people who in the last few months a few have become enthusiastic to create different social media groups including WhatsApp groups using the name of the Party in one way or the other.

“However, it is strongly advised to avoid the creation of any social media group in the name of the Party without the permission from the Office of the Party,” he said.

He also said this advisory is issued in view of two reasons: first is the necessity to maintain strict discipline within the Party and second is to pre-empt the efforts of any anti-party element from creating confusion and division within the party and also to malign the image of the Party.

“It is strongly expected that such unofficial social media groups, if there are any, should be deleted and no new group should be created,” the party spokesperson said while adding that the party shall not take responsibility for any untoward incident arising from such unofficial groups.

“It is expected that the decision of the party is respected,” he added.

Meghalaya VPP seeks action against usage of tinted glasses

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 27: Opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) Chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit has sought action against those behaving themselves as “VIPs” by using tinted glasses.

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Raising the issue during the question hour in the Assembly, Basaiawmoit said there are too many people who are behaving themselves as VIPs. He alleged that such people using tinted glasses sometimes are friends, relatives or business partners of those at the helm of affairs.

Wanting to know the steps taken against such violators, the Nongkrem legislator said that the Supreme Court on April 27, 2012, prohibited the use of tinted glass on vehicles beyond the permissible limit prescribed under the Motor Vehicles Act, saying its use was a social evil and helped criminals to escape from the clutches of law.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice SH Kapadia said the manufacturer may produce the vehicles with tinted glasses having Visual Light Transmission (VLT) of safety glasses windscreen (front and rear) as 70 per cent and side glasses as 40 per cent VLT, respectively.

The bench had directed the Home Secretary, as well as police heads of the respective states to ensure compliance with its direction, which would become operative on May 4, 2012.

He said that the bench had also stated: “Use of these black films has been proved to be a criminal’s paradise and a social evil. This certainly helps the criminals to escape from the eyes of the police and aids in the commission of heinous crimes like sexual assaults on women, robberies, kidnapping etc. If these crimes can be reduced by enforcing the prohibition of law, it would further the cause of Rule of Law and Public interest as well.”

In his reply, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma assured the House that immediate action is taken whenever complaints have come to the notice of the government and said, “Even in my vehicle I don’t put black films”.

There are 103 VIPs in the different categories, including 2 under the Z+ category, 10 Z category, 19 Y category and 72 X category.

Sangma, however, said the security entitlements of protected persons are as per the ‘Yellow Book’, a secret document of security arrangement adding hence, he is restricted to give too many details on the yellow book.