Congress MLA walks to meeting as mark of solidarity with commercial vehicle protest

SHILLONG, FEB 15: Opposition Congress legislator from East Shillong, Ampareen Lyngdoh on Monday walked from her residence to an official meeting at Khyndailad area as a mark of expressing solidarity with the commercial vehicles who are protesting against fuel price hike.

“I have decided to walk…to show my solidarity with the commercial vehicles and the public who are questioning the government on the sudden increase in the tax on petrol and diesel in the state,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

The public transport services have suffered to a great extent due to the indefinite strike called by the Meghalaya Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles (MJACCV) demanding the government to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel in the state.

Asked, Lyngdoh said that she has not seen a situation like this where leaders of the state just cut off or directly say no to those calling the protest.

“I was a little bit surprised as usually as the government we are here to serve the people, when people are complaining, I feel there is a need to discuss. If it is related to reducing the prices of fuel, the government should have called the stakeholders for discussion to avoid this kind of standoff between the government and those calling the protest,” she said.

“…at least somebody from the government should have invited them for talks as you cannot just ask the district administrators who are bureaucrats as they are not elected representatives (to do it),” the MLA added.

Stating that there is complete communication failure, she requested the state government to find out ways and means to resolve the issue and said, “We don’t want Shillong to back to those days where bandhs and hartals are part of life…if such situation is allowed, it will only take the state two decades back.”

She also appealed to the protesters not to be violent. “You cannot misuse the trust of the people, you should also think about this matter as if this protest continues in the coming days, it will only affect the poor people,” she added.

Lyngdoh said that the opposition will raise the issue in the upcoming budget session of the state Assembly. “The government should tell us the reason why tax is being increased on petrol and diesel when Assam has just recently reduced the same by Rs 5,” she said.

By Our Reporter