Denied entry in secretariat, MLA fumes

SHILLONG, JULY 15: The stringent security in the Meghalaya secretariats seem to have gone overboard as a sitting Meghalaya legislative assembly legislator Clifford R Marak was stopped from entering the secretariat by the security personnel guarding the entrance on July 11.

A furious Marak said he is contemplating to complain to the privilege committee of the assembly against the Meghalaya chief secretary WMS Pariat for not allowing him to enter the secretariat even though he is a legislator representing the Chokpot constituency.

Marak has been reelected in 2013 Assembly elections after he lost the 2008 election, he doesn’t have the Biometric Access Card to enter the state secretariat. The newly elected legislator does not have the card as the SAD is still in the process of providing them with one.

On July 11 when the Marak was entering the secretariat he was stopped by the secretariat security staffs and then he had a heated argument with the security and latter even discussed with the chief secretary about the incident.

However even after the discussion with the chief secretary Marak continues to be incensed about the fact that he was denied entry into the state secretariat despite being a legislator. He said, “ I am contemplating to move to the privilege committee against the Chief Secretary who is the head of the administration.”

Marak said that he even showed his MLA identity card to the security staffs but they were reluctant to allow him enter inside the secretariat.

Marak also complaint notification has not been issued to MLAs about the new directive of entering the secretariat. He said, “If MLAs have to go through such situation then what will happen with the former MLAs and common man.”

An angry Marak said, “This Government is run by the bureaucrats and not by the ministers.”

It is also learnt that a senior bureaucrat just left secretariat recently when he was asked by one of the security guards to produce his secretariat entry card.- By Our Reporter