Shillong: Former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma has described the incident of killing of six people at Mukroh by Assam Police as ‘genocide’, and blamed the state government for its ‘failure’ in providing safety and security to the people along the border areas.
Mukul Sangma had reached Mukroh on Tuesday soon after the killing of the people, to stand in solidarity with the distressed.
Lambasting the NPP-led government in Meghalaya, Mukul Sangma emphasized on the importance of following SOPs to deal with such incidents along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
“From the recent happenings along the inter-state border, I can draw a conclusion that both Meghalaya and Assam governments have completely disconnected themselves from the SOPs that has been laid based on the mutually agreed terms and conditions to deal with problems along the areas of difference,” Mukul Sangma said.
The Trinamool Congress leader said whatever collective efforts were taken by the preceding governments has been completely ignored. “They are completely disconnected from reality,” he said.
“As per the inputs made available to us, it is genocide, and we will have to see the circumstances leading to the situation,” the former chief minister of Meghalaya, said.
Mukul Sangma said over the decades, similar challenges have confronted the Meghalaya government. “Having learnt from the past, we had exhaustive discussion, deliberation and engagement, SOPs were laid down to deal with such situations,” he said.
In the recent past, it has been observed that both the state governments have completely deviated from the SOPs and there is absolute lack of coherence between the states, Sangma said.
After visiting Mukroh, Mukul Sangma said he and his party are highly disturbed with this incident. “Therefore, I would like to appeal to all concerned to maintain calm and only insist that the law of the land to take its own course,” he said.
The former chief minister said the government must assume upon itself without any further delay to ensure justice as per the law of the land. “We want to see that the government fulfils its legal, social and all other necessary responsibilities,” he said.
Mukul Sangma also visited Jowai Civil Hospital to meet the injured people and their families along with other Meghalaya TMC leaders. He assured the family members that loss of lives will not go in vain, and said that a logical conclusion will be ensured.
