I have done my job alerting CM: Mukul

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 20: Opposition AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma today said he has done his job by alerting the chief minister Conrad K Sangma with regards to the drug kingpin from Mizoram. According to him, it is now up to the chief minister to take cognizance of the matter.

This came after Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma had expunged Mukul’s statement alleging Conrad of having a close association with a drug kingpin from Mizoram. Mukul had on Tuesday presented a photograph of Conrad, his wife and Henry Lalremsanga, who was arrested on April 23, 2013, in connection with the seizure of Rs six crore worth of banned pseudoephedrine tablets.

Speaking to reporters, Mukul claimed that in fact, he had been quite helpful in alerting the chief minister by giving him this kind of information (about  Henry), lest he might have not seen that news (published in 2013).

“Why should it be considered offensive? I’m sure everybody who knows the gentleman also will agree with me that I have come to know yesterday after I shared this vital Information in the August House that the person concerned whose picture I have shared is somebody who frequents the state,” he said while adding “Therefore, my job is done now. It is his (Conrad) job to utilize his wisdom and judgment.”

The former chief minister however expressed surprise to see how the government was navigating the whole narrative and defensive they have suddenly become accusing him instead of pointing a finger at the chief minister.

“I never said he (Conrad) he has a nexus but I have definitely say that the person concerned who have the privilege of sharing in that sitting arrangement in one of the very important program at the national capital is reflective of his mutual association with the person concerned,” he said adding “I am also told that yes this association is part and parcel, so therefore I am again in the House today I have said, yes my job is to caution you, I think now it’s the people who should tell him in addition to what I have said.”

He further added, “In yesterday’s proceedings, I have cautioned and I have advised the CM to see that he disassociate (with Henry) so that is my advice and I have also said, I’m sure you won’t get offended because I am suggesting that the chief minister should be disassociate his association since in view of what was carried by the national media. I feel that he should.”

On CM asking him to do research on the status of the case against Henry, Mukul however said, “That is my prerogative and it is also his (CM) responsibility to find out. He should rather go after the man and find out what exactly has happened to the case and is he still in any way directly or indirectly associating with other friends because it is not only one person along with that person there’s other persons from Delhi, whether they are still in those kinds of activity or not. It is up to the CM, he has all the ways and means to find out, he can just write to the government of India to the concerned authorities and find out.”

“I have said to put a scanner in view of what is happening. How do you interpret it? This interpretation is simple: any layman will understand what Dr. Mukul Sangma has suggested,” he stated.

Speaker expunges Mukul’s statement

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 20: Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma today expunged the statement made by opposition AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma alleging the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma of having a close association with a ‘drug kingpin’ from Mizoram from the proceedings of the House as they are in violative of the rules.

Referring to the relevant rules, Thomas said, “Therefore, I in exercise of the rules expunge the statement made by Mukul Sangma from the proceedings (of the House) as they are in violative of the rules.”

“Therefore, the speech made by Mukul Sangma on the matter against the chief minister will not be part of the proceedings and I hereby expunge it from the proceedings of the House on September 19,” he added.

Reminding that the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly is known in the entire country as a very disciplined House, the Speaker said, “So let us not engage in calling names and making allegations without substantiated evidence.”

The ruling of the Speaker came after deputy chief minister-in-charge of parliamentary affairs Prestone Tynsong requested that Mukul’s statement be expunged.

Tynsong requested the member from Songsak to refrain from such kind of reference based on a ‘photograph’.

Defending the intent of his submission made during a discussion on a motion yesterday, Mukul said that the deputy chief minister has misinterpreted the basic intend of the submission.

“The person concerned whose name was reflected in the national media was an alleged accused and not convicted. I have not made an allegation of any substantive crime having  been committed by referring to what was reflected in the photograph. I have made my submission saying that we got to be careful, we got to be cautious as to whom we associate while we occupying the office of position, an office which is constitutionally empowered,” he said.

“I have also made a submission I would suggest the CM to disassociate himself from being associated with this kind of person whose antecedent I am not aware of, it is up to the CM to put them on scanner, that is what I have said. Now why is govt of the day so desperate and sweating it out to defend it?” Mukul asked.

He further said that the photograph is an official photograph in the social media page of the organizer and a sitting arrangement officially made in the front row and it is not by default that somebody had taken a selfie adding he had raised the issue because of unprecedented availability of drugs in the state really concerns him.

The former chief minister also claimed that everybody in the House particularly the minister know this person frequents the secretariat and residence of the chief minister.

“The person is associated with the CM and it is my duty to alert my CM because he is holding the responsibility,” he said while maintaining that he has not accused the CM and that his statement does not require to be expunged from the proceedings of the House.

He also assured to follow the proper procedure to ensure a decision is taken on the matter.

Expressing concern that his name was dragged into unnecessary arguments, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma asked the AITC leader to bring out the facts of the case.

“Let the member (Mukul) bring out the fact of the case, when this case happened, what is the status of this case right now,” he said.

“Our point is if you are going to connect two dots wherever you wish and suits you and draw a picture of that and then bring it in the House then just misguide everybody that is what we are trying to say,” he added.

“Does he even know that what this case is all about? Does he even know the case is already over? Does he even know that the court had given a complete judgment of this case and says the concerned persons are free. Let him do a research on this and let him find out,” Conrad said.

JHADC told to work with JMB on garbage management

The Meghalaya High Court has asked the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) to act in conjunction with the municipality to ease the citizens’ woes in regard to the garbage collection in Jowai town.

“In the meantime, the Jaintia District Council should act in conjunction with the Municipality to ease the citizens’ woes,” the division bench said in its order passed after hearing a PIL filed by the Synjuk Ki Waheh Shnong Jowai.

An affidavit has been filed by the Jowai Municipality pursuant to the order dated April 17, 2023.

The petitioner flagged several issues and said that all is not well in the matter of collection of garbage in the town of Jowai.

The petitioner’s affidavit in such regard should be filed within a week from date, the bench said while adding that the matter will appear 10 days hence.

The next hearing on the matter will be held on May 12.

Councils still against inclusions in proposed amendment to 6th Schedule

The three autonomous district councils – KHADC, JHADC and GHADC – has reiterated their strong opposition against the inclusion of ‘unrepresented tribe’ and ‘village council’ in the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

After a joint meeting held here, KHADC chief Titosstarwell Chyne told reporters that the matter was discussed by the three ADCs after the Centre had yet again sought for their views.

“We are totally against implementation of the unrepresented tribe and the state government is also in the same line with us. Regarding the village council issue, we had maintained that instead of this, we propose village development council,” Chyne said.

He said that the two issues have been pending as they needed elaborate discussion.

“We have discussed this matter seriously. We have highlighted to our friends from Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills that in KHADC, we have passed the Village Development Council Bill and we would also like to that even in these two ADCs, they also should pass this Bill so that implementation of village council will not be applicable as we have our own traditional institutions,” Chyne said while adding that “because according to this proposed amendment, the implementation of the village council in the state will dilute the powers and functions of our traditional institutions. We will not like to see our traditional institutions will go away, we would like to see them to remain with our traditional practice that is why we have decided this matter will be discussed in the respective councils soon.”

When asked, the KHADC chief said, “These are the two issues which the central government has written to the state government to look into these issue.”

“Once we clear these two issues, then I think the central government also will be willing to pass this amendment at the earliest possible. Once we give green signal from here I think the Centre will take a call,” he added.

Regarding the number of seats, Chyne said, “We (three ADCs) have already agreed that it should not exceed 40 seats. That we have agreed.”

Further, the three autonomous district councils have also unanimously oppose the implementation of the Swamitva Scheme by the Centre.

“We totally oppose the implementation of this scheme in the state as our land tenure system is totally different from other states in the country. We have our traditional practices, we have our own land holding system in our state so that is why implementation of this scheme in the state is not acceptable,” Chyne said.

Meanwhile, the KHADC chief also informed that they demanded the state government to transfer back the subject relating to issuing of Scheduled Tribe certificate to all the three ADCs as it was done in the past.

“Issuing of PRCs by respective DCs was also discussed. The district administration should first get the confirmation from the ADCs before issuing any PRCs,” he stated.

ADCs want details of their share from royalty, taxes

The three autonomous district councils have asked the state government to provide the actual calculation of their respective shares from royalty on minor and major minerals and from the motor vehicle taxes.

Informing this after a joint meeting today, KHADC chief Titosstarwell Chyne told reporters that the issue relating to the financial matters to the three ADCs including GHADC and JHADC was discussed.

“We urge the state government that we should at least get the actual calculation regarding this matter,” Chyne said.

“We used to get share from the state government like minor and major mineral share and motor vehicle tax share from the state government. But unfortunately all these years, we never get a correct calculation how much our share used to be, we always got lump sum amount of share,” he added.

Urging the state government to also get more funds for the 3 ADCs, Chyne said, “We urge the state government to get more funds for all the three ADCs especially like the plan scheme, other financial assistance.”

Further, the KHADC chief said that they have also discussed about the delay in the release of the 15th Finance Commission Award from the Centre government and requested the need to release the funds in time.

“(We) urge the government to release our funds in time because delaying in the release of funds lead to delay in the implementation of the scheme. The central government use to give us pressure to submit the utilization certificates (UCs) but we cannot submit our UCs in time because we too did not get the funds in time,” he said.

According to him, the three ADCs are yet to get funds relating to Untied scheme for 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 till now.

“Therefore, we would like to jointly to urge the state government to see these kinds of delay in the implementation of the schemes should not take place,” he added.

ADCs say ‘NO’ to implementation of Uniform Civil Code

The three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) have unanimously decided to jointly pass a resolution to oppose the Centre’s move to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.

The decision was taken at a joint meeting of the chief executive members (CEMs) of the three Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) – held in Shillong here today.

“We have unanimously decided that we will jointly pass a resolution that implementation of UCC in the Sixth Schedule area will be totally opposed (by us) and we also pass a resolution in our respective councils soon regarding this matter,” KHADC chief Titosstarwell Chyne told reporters after the meeting.

The UCC is a proposal to formulate and implement personal laws of citizens which apply on all citizens equally.

He said that the meeting had discussed at length the intention of the central government to introduce the UCC Bill in the country while adding that “we feel that UCC will directly had an impact on the powers and functions of the ADCs especially with our customs, our traditional practices, community as a whole.”

When asked if a special session will be convened in this regard, Chyne said hopefully a special session will be called by next month as they would like to speed up this matter.

“There are so many problems as I have said that it (UCC) will affect our traditional customs like marriage system. Once this UCC is implemented, we will have a uniform marriage system but here in our custom we have different, so religious and traditional custom will be affected. As Scheduled Tribe, we feel implementation of this UCC will not be acceptable in the state,” he said.

Further, the KHADC chief said that the state government will also have to go in the same line once a resolution is passed by the three ADCs as was done in the case of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

“…the CAA has been exempted in the Scheduled area I think the UCC should also be exempted from the Sixth Schedule. Therefore, we are demanding for exemption of the UCC from the Sixth Schedule area,” he further maintained.

AIM against gambling in melas

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.

Speaker chairs meeting on new Assembly building

Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma chaired a meeting of the High Powered Committee on the construction of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Deputy Speaker Timothy D Shira, legislators Charles Pyngrope, Lahkmen Rymbui, and Banteidor Lyngdoh, Chief Secretary DP Wahlang, Commissioner & Secretary, Meghalaya Assembly, Dr Andrew Simons and other government officials.

After the meeting, the Assembly Speaker informed that the HPC meeting was held to give administrative approval to the new design of the dome as well as financial approval citing the increase of scope of work.

He stated that the new design has been vetted by IIT Roorkee and IIT Guwahati, and added that construction work of the building will proceed now.

‘The HPC sat to give administrative approval (to the new dome design) and also there was some financial approval required. The scope of work has also increased,’ the Speaker said.

‘After Eid work will resume in full swing,’ the Speaker said.

He also informed that the HPC has appointed a Programme Monitoring Committee (PMC) as per the observations made by IIT Guwahati in the report on the collapse of the dome.

He also informed that the PWD & PMC has been instructed to look at the second phase of construction simultaneously.