Most non Cong skipped all parties meet

SHILLONG, SEPT 9: Most of the regional regional political parties skipped the all party meeting convened by the state government to protest against the proposed new draft bill on traditional village administration even as chief minister Mukul Sangma described the meeting as productive.

With most of the regional political parties skipping the meet, the state government has decided to circulate the minutes of the meeting consisting of views of the political leaders during the meeting. The government has decided second meeting to again discuss the issue.

Congress party members including cabinet ministers, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Hill State People Democratic Party (HSPDP) attended the meeting chaired by chief minister Mukul Sangma on Wednesday.

While the HSPDP leader expressed satisfaction on the new draft bill, NCP leader Sanbor Shullai however said his party will not support the move.

The  non Congress parties that remained absent were the  United Democratic Party (UDP), National People’s Party (NPP), Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Garo National Council (GNC).

UDP, KHNAM and BJP had already announced their decision to boycott the meeting to protest against the government’s move to come up with new draft bill to empower the traditional bodies and headmen as they argued these are the subject of the district councils.

Claiming that the meeting was productive, chief minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after the meeting, “The outcome of today’s meeting that includes discussion and minutes will be circulated to all political parties and will sit one more time.”

According to him, the all party meeting was decided to be convened after a lot of views were expressed on the promulgation of the ordinance by the state government.

As Assembly session will commence from September 16, Sangma said, “We have invited all political parties to discuss a very crucial and important responsibility where the state cabinet had earlier discussed and deliberated on the issue as to whether government should come up with legislative measure to regularize the ordinance or just allow the same to lapse.”

Sangma said the meeting was called to discuss whether there is need to regularize the ordinance or to come up   with  new legislative measure to empower the traditional bodies/headmen in matter of governance and implementation of a programmes.

Informing that the state government had taken a call that the ordinance be allowed to lapsed, Sangma said, “Therefore, now we need to look at consultative mechanism whether we can take other alternative measure with the objective of truly empowering traditional bodies/headmen.”

Sangma the government is attempting to have a complete clarity, a clarity which is pronounced through a measure taken through legislative route and legal mandate as far as empowering traditional bodies. He said, “With this the government want to ensure complete involvement of all political parties and later it will also involve stakeholders as it will be a step by step process.”- By Our Reporter