Shillong, January 14: Coming clean on the allegation of his alleged link with the militant outfit ANVC(B), Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma categorically denied of having such link either with the breakaway faction of the ANVC or any militant outfits operating in the Garo hills region.
Addressing a media conference on Tuesday, Sangma said, “Dr Mukul is one among the very few politicians who do not keep any link with militant outfit. It is known to everybody, it is known to the people, it is known to the Government of India and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).”
The ANVC(B) political secretary Ajaja R Marak had recently made sensational allegations claiming that Sangma had used them to become the chief minister in the last term.
Refuting the allegation, Sangma said that the allegation posted by the ANVC(B) political secretary is malicious, distasteful and the subsequent developments are demonstrative of deep rooted conspiracy to malign his image as the chief minister and to create confusion in the minds of the people.
Sangma said the fact that next day the ANVC(B) refuted the allegation besides informing that after posting this malicious, baseless allegation their political secretary had deserted the organization indicating that he had pre-determined and malafide intention to malign the image of the chief minister.
Sangma rued that the allegation is indicative of some vested interests who have hatched political conspiracy has penetrated the ANVC(B) to further their political plot and conspiracy against the him as the chief minister and my government. He said, “The way the letter is scripted in English and the political interpretation within the letter tells more that what meets the eye.”
Defending himself, Sangma said number of times when the issue of political-militant nexus have been raised, he had maintained that it cannot rule out but in absence of any evidence to substantiate the nexus, the government cannot legally proceed based on such allegation.
To demonstrate his commitment to bring back peace in the militants ravaged Garo hills districts Sangma said the decision of the government to extend the term of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to enable the completion of peace process is demonstration of the government’s commitment and political will to usher in peace.
Sangma said,“It is an important for the people of the state in general and Garo hills in particular for pursuing the objective of bringing sustained peace for progress and growth of the state as a whole by completing the peace process.
On the demand of the United Democratic Party (UDP) for a CBI probe into the allegation that the chief minister has nexus with the militants and also the decision to seek an audience with the President and Prime Minister to brief them about it, Sangma said, “I have seen that they (UDP) want to lead a delegation to president and prime minister and they will have better information. The prime minister and MHA will have better information as they have their own mechanism as to which politician have nexus with militant.”
But Sangma also added, “I would advise them (UDP) not to waste their time.”.
Asked whether the ANVC(B) is also part of the signed peace pact or not, Sangma informed that the government stand interpretation is that the ANVC(B) will only be consider as part of ANVC and not ANVC (B) for technical reasons for ensuring that the state government do not need to take initiate for a new peace pact and spend more time as there will be no ending.
Sangma informed that in the discussion with government of India the state government said that if it want to achieve the kind of peace that is being talking about on a sustainable basis, then it is incumbent on the government to have a policy which practically allow the ANVC to ensure that the breakaway groups and the deserters also are put within the same umbrella. So the ANVC(B) will be part of the agreement as the ANVC and not the breakaway group.
Speaking about another militant outfit, the GNLA Sangma said the government approach has to be uniform. He said the government on number of occasion has maintained that it would like to have dialogue on all issues and settle it within the frame work of our constitution. He said there are robust mechanisms to address all issues across the table in a peaceful manner without having to take up arms and resort to violence activities to redress any issues or grievances. He, however, said for this to take place the GNLA must give up all their arms and criminal activities.- By Our Reporter
I feel Dr Mukul Sangma should be very happy if any probe initiated on him so that he can prove that he has no link with any millitant outfit. Our able CM must have the strong will to be face the CBI. Why scare of CBI? If the CM is indicted then he can ignore the report of the CBI and set up another Committee as was practised in the case of LP School teacher.