Shillong, July 18: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said if Droupadi Murmu is elected to the post of president, there will be a huge impact on certain issues concerning the tribal people.
“That is what all of us expected and we know this is going to happen but saying that everything will disappear is something we cannot say or conclude but I am sure it will have a huge impact on the entire situation and scenario not just about the atrocities but overall,” he said.
On NGOs demanding legislators to vote on conditions that issues including ILP are given their due importance, Conrad said, “I have maintained very clearly that the state government has done what it could, the legislature has done what it could in terms of passing the resolution and putting it forward and now the ball is in the court of the Centre and we will continue to engage with the Centre and see how we take it to its logical conclusion.”.
Father’s dream
Recalling his father (L) Purno A Sangma’s dream of seeing a tribal becoming president of the country, the chief minister said, “Today we are in that direction as I said one cannot say as results are out. The day is not only important for the tribal people but for the women also.”
The lone Rajya Sabha MP Dr WR Kharlukhi also cast his vote and said that once the results are out and once Draupadi Murmu is elected as president, (L) Purno A Sangma’s dream to have tribal president will be fulfilled
‘Don’t be misguided’,says Mukul
Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma asked the people of the state not to be misguided by the rhetoric of BJP as what they say they don’t do while referring to its decision to field a tribal woman as presidential candidate.
Mukul said all had expressed their concern pertaining to persecution of certain people belonging to certain communities from a religious perspective.
“This is a concern as a nation and this must be addressed. Therefore, the message should be loud and clear and practise what you preach. This message is to the BJP and this is a message to all the people who are claiming this tribal card as a parameter to get the support for the candidate. Let us be blunt and clear,” he said.
He said that the new president is expected to respond to the call of duty based on the expected lines and in sync with the Constitution of India so “let’s wait and watch”.
Leaders of other political parties – United Democratic Party president and Speaker of the Assembly Metbah Lyngdoh, People’s Democratic Front president Banteidor Lyngdoh, BJP Minister Sanbor Shullai, Hill State People’s Democratic Party Minister Renikton Tongkhar also voted.
Kharlukhi said all the issues concerning the state have been taken during Murmu’s recent visit to the state and that she had accordingly noted them down.
HSPDP leader and cabinet minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar said he expects the new president to uphold the Constitution of India and to respect the tribal people and their issues.
AITC legislator from Rangsakona Zenith M Sangma said the election is not a question of tribal or not tribal but it is a fight between two ideologies.
“While one is fighting to protect the spirit and values of the provisions of the Constitution, the other is we have seen practically what is happening in the whole country which violated the provisions of the Constitution,” he said.
Zenith said elected governments are brought down by the might of the party in power at the centre which is against the spirit of democracy.
“Therefore, my conscience says that to fight against all these communal forces I should vote for the group of parties which stand to fight against communalism, which will ultimately pave the way to safeguard the spirit and values of the Constitution of India,” he added.
