Staff Reporter

Shillong, Nov 15: Border Area Development Minister Rakkam A Sangma has urged the government to consider a proposal for connecting Baghmara in South Garo Hills with Guwahati, Assam and Bangladesh with a railway line.

Rakkam, who is also NPP legislator from Rongara-Siju, also termed the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act and provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India as the greatest protection mechanism for the indigenous people while referring to groups opposing railways in Khasi-Jaintia region apprehending influx and illegal immigration.

Speaking to reporters, the minister said there was a proposal a long time back when Captain Williamson Sangma was chief minister to connect Guwahati with Bangladesh through Baghmara with railways.

“I will also still demand to make this happen because Baghmara can be the corridor for Meghalaya and for the North East where it can be connected directly to Dhaka. The trade and employment generation will rise up and lots of our young people and economy will improve,” he said while adding “Therefore, it is my pleasure to demand to the Government of India and I will also be meeting the Chief Minister very soon as a local MLA to demand for railways to connect Guwahati to Bangladesh to Dhaka through Baghmara.”

According to him, a petition was already submitted that an integrated check gate should be set up at Baghmara so that tourists and businessmen can come in because if the railway comes, the economy of the people will improve to a great extent.

Asked if he would request the government to divert the railway project proposed for Shillong and Byrnihat to Baghmara, Rakkam said, “If it is possible, I would request the railways department, the government of India, the government of Meghalaya to connect Baghmara with Guwahati by railway.”

Having said so, to me as education minister I want to say that every year I have been attending most of the graduation and convocation ceremonies in the state where there are 18,000 to 20,000 graduates and post-graduates every year. Out of 20,000 in a year, only 1,500 – 2000 government jobs are being advertised while the rest 18,000 plus educated are unemployed.”

On the continued opposition against railways in Khasi-Jaintia regions, the minister said, “Yes, there may be issues with everybody but now we have to decide the merits and demerits. Coming of railways to Shillong or East Khasi Hills may have the negative and demerits also but the merits are also there like the connectivity, job opportunities. The people from Garo Hills are going to Dimpur to buy clothes because the cost is cheaper. Therefore, I request that our people decide after comparing the merits and demerits. Whichever is heavier (they should go with that only).”

He said people should allow railways if proper mechanisms can be installed as employment and economy is the need of the hour.

“Therefore, we need more industries, we need more railways, we need more markets, we need more institutions which will create employment for the young people. Livelihood is above all important. As a son of the state, we should find a way to make our graduates employed.”

Also stating that it is important for the government to take up the issue of influx and immigration on priority, Rakkam said granting of ILP or not is in the hands of the Government of India but the Land Transfer Act and provisions of Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India are the greatest weapons for the people of the state. He also announced that the government is also contemplating introducing the Sixth Schedule as part of the school curriculum.

“Everybody should know this. We want to introduce in our curriculum that every students must read about Sixth Schedule about the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people, the culture, the tradition, the food, the assets, the rivers, the potential that we have…the Sixth Schedule is a complete mechanism,” he said while recalling that “Captain Sangma once stated when somebody asked a question that there are some people who wants to do away with the Sixth Schedule. Captain stated anybody who decides to do away with the Sixth Schedule he is the most useless person on the earth as the Sixth Schedule is a greatest pillar laid down by the leaders of the past specially for tribal people specially for Meghalayans.”

“Therefore, the Sixth Schedule is a greatest pillar and greated protection mechanism for all of us. Having said so, the provision of the Sixth Schedule if strengthened we got nothing to lose,” he asserted further.

The Tura Government College Students’ Union (TGCSU) on Friday requested the Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal to reduce the hours of load shedding in view of students preparing and writing their semester examinations.

In a statement, TGCSU president Anand Ch Momin said that the union feels that it is not advisable to have long hours of load shedding as it is going to have a bad impact on the studies of the students.

“Having more than 10-15 hours of load shedding is unbearable, especially during summer not only for students but the person of any age. We would like to make an appeal to the power minister to make amends to the load shedding hours and reduce the hours considering also the fact that students are preparing and writing their exams as well,” he said. 

The Awakening Indian Movement (AIM) has sought the intervention of the deputy commissioner of East Khasi Hills district to ensure a blanket ban on gambling at melas being organized by different agencies.

Speaking to media persons, chairman of AIM Bansharai Marbaniang said that many people from other part of the country come to Meghalaya to host various kinds of melas, however these melas have games that encourage gambling with money which is detrimental and have a negative impact on the welfare of the people.

Marbaniang alleged that melas throughout the country are being held in order to provide entertainment to all citizens where they can experience happiness especially for children, students, and youth but at present melas in Meghalaya are being held with gambling which have detrimental and a negative impact on the welfare of the people.

“During our visit to the mela held at the Parking Lot outside Polo Ground in Shillong, the mela hosted various gambling activities with money and young people and students in uniform participated in various gambling games” said Marbaniang.

Marbaniang said that AIM is not against organizing melas in the state, however it stands against the act of gambling that is being held at the venues hence the AIM sought the intervention into this matter.