Meghalaya Assembly Budget session: Opposition questions accountability of MDA 2.0, accuses government of running away from responsibilities

Oppsition parties including the TMC have questioned the accountability of the government, alleging that it is trying to run away from the responsibilities.

Amid the ongoing Budget Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, a war of words has erupted over the allegations that the opposition parties were allotted less time to raise their issue in the floor of the House today. In fact the Voice of People’s Party (VPP) has threatened to hit the streets if the party MLAs are allegedly not allowed to participate in the House. Meanwhile the oppsition parties including the TMC have questioned the accountability of the government, alleging that it is trying to run away from the responsibilities.

Reacting to the allegations, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma clearly maintained that his government did not shy away from any issue which has been brought to notice. Chief Minister Sangma said,”We have not shyed away from anything. In fact the time and the rules are there as per the procedures of conduct of business. All of this is there in the rule book and the rule book specifically mentions that the House will function on Friday from 10’O clock to 12’O clock.”

Defending the Speaker’s actions, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the Speaker was exactly doing everything as per the rules and has gone by the Business Advisory Committee’s decisions.

According to the Meghalaya Chief Minister, the Opposition parties will get ample oppurtunity to raise their issues. In this context, Conrad Sangma said,”There are many occasions when they speak about these issues. There is a Governor’s address, debate on Governor’s address, there is a budget, there can be a Special Motion, there can be short discussions, so many options are there.

Therefore, the members are free to raise any issue at any time and regarding all the issues that have ever been brought up, we have always discussed the matters, never shyed away from anything. In present and future also we will never shy away from any issue.”

TMC leader and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma alleged that prevailing situation indicates that the government is trying to run away from being accountable.

Sangma reacted and said,”If You go by the trend as to what has been seen today and also the overall tendency to shrink the duration available for a healthy deliberation, discussion, debate; the whole indication is reflective of their tendency to run away from being accountable.”

Mukul Sangma further feels that such an act goes against democracy and said,”Therefore it is only reflective of their pre-determined intent to run away from the sense of responsibility and accountability. And, it is not something which is in sync with the spirit of the core values of democracy.”

Meanwhile, the Voice of the People’s Party has threatened to hit the streets if “not allowed to participate in the House.”

Briefing newspersons, VPP MLA and party chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit alleged,”This is a deliberate attempt on the part of the government, they want to run away from the responsibility, but we will not allow. If we are not allowed to participate in this august House, than we are going to hit the streets. This is anti-people, undemocratic, the first time ever in MLA.”

Earlier, in May 2022, the Meghalaya High Court dropped the suo motu proceedings against the state government on Wednesday after it was informed that a roster system was adopted for the implementation of the reservation policy.

The high court had stayed all government appointments in view of the absence of the roster system, and directed the state government on April 20, 2022 to introduce it within three weeks.

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