Meghalaya Deputy CM counters Himanta’s statement; Says Mukroh is part of Meghalaya

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 13: Countering the claim made by the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that Mukroh is well within Meghalaya territory.

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“Our stand is very clear that Mukroh is well within Meghalaya. Even till this moment it is under the possession of Meghalaya,” Tynsong told reporters.

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He was reacting to Sarma’s statement informing the Assam Assembly that Mukroh is within the boundary of Assam and is under the jurisdiction of the West Karbi Anglong district.

On November 22, last year six persons including five Khasi villagers and one Assam forest guard were killed in an unprovoked firing by the Assam police at Mukroh village in West Jaintia Hills District.

When asked, Tynsong said, “I don’t know why such a statement was made by the Assam CM because now we are in the process of stepping into the second phase of talk. I personally feel he should not say that. It is very unfortunate if he had made the statement inside the House,” while reiterating “But let me tell you one more thing very clearly that Mukroh area falls under Meghalaya.”

The deputy chief minister ruled out that the state government will shoot a protest letter to the Assam government and said, “Not necessarily because the talk will start again so just wait for that.”

He informed that the government is working out on priority to reconstitute the regional committees to take the second phase of border talks forward for resolving the remaining six areas of difference shared between the two states.

“We have already made it very clear to the people of the state that the second phase of talks will start very soon so will work accordingly,” Tynsong said.

On March 29, last year a memorandum of understanding was signed between Assam and Meghalaya in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah ending the dispute in six of the twelve areas of difference.

Paul Lyngdoh terms MDA 2.0 a ‘dream team’

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 7: UDP leader and newly sworn-in cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh today referred to the Conrad K Sangma-led MDA-2 government as a “dream team” and said the expectations are well justified.

“We have a team which is comparatively more mature and there is more quality in it in terms of the experience and educational qualification of the various members of the cabinet,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

The West Shillong legislator added, “As I said this looks to be a more cohesive, a more experienced, qualitatively far better cabinet so it is a dream team…the expectations are well justified.”

Stating that the allocation of the portfolio is the prerogative of the chief minister, Lyngdoh said, “I am sure he will use his sense of balance to ensure every minister is able to perform to the optimum.”

The UDP, which is the second-largest party with 11 members, was given two cabinet berths.

On the party’s performance with two cabinet berths, the UDP leader however said, “Well, quality is everything, the number is nothing. You can have any portfolios and you don’t deliver and you have one minister holding five departments and he delivers so well so that is the comparison.”

Whether there is any agreement among the UDP MLAs for sharing of the cabinet berths, Lyngdoh said, “Well I am not privy to any such information. Let’s live one day at a time and make the best use of that single day and let’s perform today and again perform tomorrow. We will take one day at a time.”

The West Shillong legislator said, “Qualitatively Meghalaya deserves better and my sincere attempt right from the word go is to optimize the potential that God has given me and I am sure that goes for every member of the cabinet.”