Internet shutdown was a ‘bankruptcy of ideas':TMC leader Mukul Sangma over Mukroh violence

Slamming the Conrad Sangma-led Meghalaya government, Trinamool Congress Legislature Party Leader and Leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma said that the suspension of the internet shutdown was nothing but a ‘bankruptcy of ideas’ from the MDA government.

Speaking to the media, while answering a grave question as to what measures could the MDA government have taken to prevent the Mukroh tragedy, Dr Sangma replied, “The brutal killings could have been avoided because the brutalities were not a result of community clash, but an act perpetrated by the government authorities. There should have been pre-emptive measures, which were missing; The dialogue between the two governments was missing.”

Further, calling the shutdown of the Internet ‘a bankruptcy of ideas’, he commented, “The government gave a knee-jerk reaction by shutting down the internet. During my tenure, not even on a single occasion did we shut down the internet in the name of restoring order, peace, and law. This is a reflection of a bankruptcy of ideas.”

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Answering a question regarding the MDA government’s infrastructural collapse, Dr Sangma drew a comparison to his tenure of governance: “The education department had a budget that only accommodated salaries and no infrastructural support. We ensured government colleges in every district from only two colleges in the state. In Mawphlang, we established a college of science and commerce. In Garo hills, we have colleges for engineering, and architecture funded by the GoI.”

Earlier, the TMC on November 25 said that the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government has declared a shutdown of the internet to mask their failure.  

It is to be mentioned here that the Meghalaya Government on November 28 restore the internet data services after seven days of suspension following the violence that broke out in the state due to the firing incident at the Assam-Meghalaya border leading to the death of 6 people including one Assam Forest Guard.

The internet services remained suspended after the Mukroh firing incident on November 22 morning to minimise the transmission of information through pictures, videos and text, having the potential to cause a serious breakdown of law and order. 

The seven districts affected by the suspension are West Jaintia Hills, East Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, Ri - Bhoi, Eastern West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, and South West Khasi Hills.