Meghalaya minister slams Voice of People Party for inciting communal mayhem over reservation policy

The Cabinet Minister and United Democratic Party (UDP) MLA of West Shillong, Paul Lyngdoh on June 5 hit out at the Voice of the People Party (VPP) for not just politicising but inciting communal and creating mayhem in the society on the reservation policy and roster system. 

“I have voiced out the issue of reservation policy since 20 years ago, where is he then?”, question the Cabinet Minister who is also a former president of the Khasi Students’ Union. This statement came after a video of Lyngdoh delivering a speech on the reservation issue from 2002 has been circulating online now. 

“The video is evidence that Bah Paul Lyngdoh raised the issue of Reservation 20 years ago, now I will ask a question, where are the videos of Ardent raising concerns on Reservation policy 20 years ago. He is also a leader of a pressure group then, yet he never came to support the KSU in its demand”, said Lyngdoh. 

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Lyngdoh said that Ardent went missing from the scene in demanding to review the reservation policy 20 years ago because he was a leader of the Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP). Paul said this was the reason why Ardent shied from making any statement on the issue then. 

Answering the public comment as to why Bah Paul went missing during the VPP protest last week, Lyngdoh said if the people have elected him as an MLA he will do his duty as an elected legislator and a cabinet minister. 

“We have been elected as the MLA, I don’t understand why there is a need for a public gathering that too just after 3 months of the formation of this new government”, said Lyngdoh. 

Taking a dig at the VPP Chief, Ardent M Basaiamoit who was an MLA during Mukul Sangma’s CM regime for 8 years, “Why this issue was silenced during the Mukul Sangma tenure as the CM for 8 years, why now?”, he question.