Shillong, Aug 19: The BJP and the NPP have protested against Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, who according to them, branded state youths as terrorists and hence maligned the image of the state.
While the NPP referred to the Taliban remark of Surjewala, the BJP is not happy as the Congress leader termed the youth as terrorists.
However, the Congress clarified that what the AICC leader said was regarding gun-toting ‘militants’ roaming around the city as per the video circulated.
In a statement issued here, the NPP spokesperson, Marcuise Marak said the recent statement by Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, where he blatantly uses the terms ‘terrorists’ and ‘Taliban’ to refer to Meghalaya and its youth, is highly despicable.
He said there is no difference between the understanding of the Congress and that of an outsider and this shows they never had any understanding of the socio-political atmosphere of Meghalaya.
Marak further claimed that under the MDA government and the leadership of chief minister Conrad Sangma, there is relative peace in the state.
BJP slams Cong
Senior BJP leader & National Council member Bashailang Khongwir slammed the Congress for politicising the current sensitive issue saying that the Congress is trying to take advantage politically by aggravating the situation right from local to the national level.
Congress leader Mukul Sangma should have worked together with the government in this time of crisis as a responsible opposition instead of trying to destabalise the government”, he said.
Khongwir also condemned the statement of AICC general secretary Surjewala who branded the local youth as terrorists while saying “how the terrorists covering their faces carrying arms were seen roaming around Shillong “.
“This statement of the senior Congress leader is adding fuel to the fire by provoking the already agitated local youth. The Congress leaders should have done their homework before making such remarks which only provokes the youth. The militancy in Northeast had witnessed its peak during Congress regime. The Congress during its tenure both in the state and the centre had done nothing to resolve the HNLC issue.
Khongwir appreciated the prompt response of Chief Minister by not sending the police force to the sensitive areas of the city, which could have aggravated the tense situation, thereby showing good faith in the local people. The chief minister also decided to fulfill the long awaited desire of the locals to remove the CRPF camp from Mawlai”, he said.
Khongwir also commended the immediate response of the MDA government by initiating a judicial probe.
The present MDA coalition is a non-Congress coalition so the efforts of Mukul to destabilise the government will be wasted, he said.
He also urged all the stake holders not to be rigid and to take advantage of the peace committee constituted by the government, which has never happened during the Congress tenure, because it is only through dialogue that matters can be resolved.
He said that the state government should now take up the issue of peace talks with the HNLC on a priority basis, especially when the group had in the past, appealed for it with the government.
Khongwir also appealed to all the youth of the state for peace as any form of violence will only hamper society. “We are already facing economic crisis due to the pandemic and it seems there is no sign of relief yet and the impending third wave looking inevitable,” he said.
HITO seeks Rahul’s intervention
Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO), while criticising Randeep Surjewala, has urged the party leader Rahul Gandhi, to understand the pain and misery which the youths are encountering on a continuous basis with no reprieve, and to deal strictly with the erring senior member and embark on a mission to recover the lost trust and confidence of the people of Meghalaya.
