Reports of militants regrouping to coal issues; Meghalaya assembly session set to be stormy

SHILLONG

The Opposition Congress will raise issues pertaining to law and order, reports of emergence of regrouping of few militant organisations and overall challenges to the sustainability of peace during the ongoing Autumn Session of the Assembly which started from today.

While briefing reporters here today, Leader of Opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma told that the opposition are seriously concerned over the reports of regrouping of few militant organisations. “If this is true, then it is like we are going back to the old age,” Sangma said.

He also said that the issues are before the state includes resources in irregularities, allegations of illegal mining and transportation of coal, development of the State, which is going at a very slow pace. When asked if the opposition had sufficient evidence concerning the allegation of illegal coal mining and transportation, he said that his visit to the coal depot itself was a huge evidence.

“I have gone to West Jaintia Hills and East Garo Hills. The process of assessment of the coal in West Jaintia Hills in June this year was indicated at 1,41,000 metric tonnes. But the coal which is there is not even 20,000 metric tonnes. The question here whether the coal has already been transported,” Dr Sangma said.

Stating that what more evidence do they want, he said that he can provide 100 evidences. “One instance is enough to draw the attention of the Government. Are they not constitutionally duty bound to protect the interest of the State? Why is the government shying away to find out the truth? The truth is to stop illegalities for the interest of the State. If they failed to perform their duties, it can be interpreted as abetment of crime. Only people who do not want to unearth the truth would avoid such exercise. Prompt denial shows that there is a reason to believe the Government is not willing to tell the truth,” Leader of Opposition said.

When asked about the unclaimed coal, he said that the word unclaimed coal has come up as an offshoot well scripted modus operandi. “They must have put their brains together to script a new modus operandi to proceed with the so called unclaimed coal. We have seen this modus operandi in West Jaintia Hills,” he added.

The Leader of Opposition added that the apprehension associated with the light use of unclaimed coal through a process which was seen to be adopted by the authorities to auction and facilitate transportation in the guise of auctioned coal.