Shillong, October 28: Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma appeal to pressure groups to follow the trend set by the Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO) which has decided to not to join the ILP agitation but use the laws as its tool to pursue the ILP issue. Sangma on Thursday said that the CSWO did is quite welcoming as it open up lots of ‘positive environment’ and requested the other pro-ILP ngos to follow the women organization example.
Sangma told reporters on Thursday, “I urged all the pressure groups to take recourse to the trend set by the CSWO which is a way forward of how we can engage actively.” His statement came a day after the CSWO, which is one of the fourteen pro-ILP ngos, decided not to be part of the agitations anymore but said will use the law as its tool to fight on any issue.
Sangma said, “I welcome the strategy adopted by the CSWO. This decision is a welcoming step and shows that the organization has faith and confident on the legal system.” He said it shoukd be the endeavour of all to embark upon any kinds of issues in the larger interest of the society and should be within the parameters of the law. He said they should not resort to violent agitations that can cause loss to the private and public properties and take away even innocent lives.
Sangma said when groups resorted to violent agitations, it becomes intangible for the state government to engage or initiate talks. He said, “Exercising democratic rights does not mean you can go and damage public properties and burning people alive.”
The pro-ILP ngos have also called for public meeting to garner support on the issue to be held on November 30.
Replying to a query on whether the government intends to arrest the leaders of the pro-ILP groups, Sangma categorically said that the law enforcement agencies are responsible for ensuring that those who are booked for cases such as arson and others do not escape the law. Stating that a number of cases have been registered against the agitating groups, he said, “Now, it is up to the law enforcers, how they would implement the law.”
Sangma, however, down played the arrest issue by saying, “It is not necessary that police would make the arrest on the day of the upcoming public meeting.”
The ngos have also temporarily suspended their agitational programmes to which Sangma said it is a good gesture that they have called off their agitations and the government is examining the whether they should be called for a dialogue. – By Our Reporter
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