Politics / Meghalaya

SHILLONG, March 8: Chief minister E.K. Mawlong completed one year in office and celebrated this by releasing a list of his "achievements" at a press conference here today. Topping the list of achievements was the "improvement in peace in public life." This claim has been hard to swallow for many, including Mawlong's own coalition partner, the BJP, which had earlier demanded a white paper on the law and order situation. In response to queries from the Press, the Chief Minister admitted that the government was preparing a status paper on the law and order situation. The BJP had raised doubts...

SHILLONG, March 6: The Meghalaya Government has ruled out the allegation made by Khasi Students' Union (KSU) that the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues and the IAS officers in the State, indulged in wasteful expenditure to the tune of about Rs six core in just 16 months, reports UNI. Clarifying the government position, an official release yesterday said that all these expenses for the relevant period from April 1, 1999 to August 15, 2000, were made on facilities like salary, medical treatment, TA, telephone bills and so on and so forth to which ministers and bureaucrats were entitled...

SHILLONG, March 6: The Khasi Students' Union (KSU) has defended its FIR against the Meghalaya Government's alleged corruption and 'wasteful' expenditure of public money to the tune of Rs 5.80 crore. In a FIR submitted to the SP, East Khasi Hills district last week, the KSU had accused the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues and the IAS officers with indulging in 'wasteful' expenditure of public money and corruption. Urging the SP to investigate the matter, the KSU questioned the expenditure of Rs 5.80 crore by the 'poor servants of the people,' on perks and benefits of office from April...

TURA, February 26: The Congress I in Meghalaya, led by former Chief Minister Salseng C Marak, has expressed its unhappiness over the functioning of the present UDP-NCP-BJP government in the State. The Opposition Congress has now decided to constitute an Economic Affairs Committee (EAC) under the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) to look into the problems faced by the common people. This was disclosed by Marak at Tura on Friday morning while addressing party workers at the Congress Bhawan. Marak is on a three-day tour of the entire Garo Hills, except the plain belt areas of West Garo...

SHILLONG, February 24: Meghalaya Chief Minister E K Mawlong may have weathered the recent political storm and brought stability to his nearly one-year-old ministry by vanquishing his political opponents, at least for the time being, but he may find it difficult to tackle his non-political yet powerful adversaries in the Khasi Students' Union (KSU) and the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP). Riding the crest of popular support for a regional party government, led by powerful NGOs like the KSU, FKJGP and others, the United Democratic Party (UDP) formed a coalition government in...

SHILLONG, February 20: The ongoing Census 2001 operations in Meghalaya is in jeopardy following a threat issued by the banned militant outfit Hynniewtrop National Liberation Council (HNLC) to eliminate enumerators. The HNLC, local newspapers reported on Monday, has warned that unless the Government of India came out with a clear policy to solve the long-standing political problem of the State, the Census operation sponsored by the "Colonial forces" shall be termed as an illegal activity. Publicity Secretary of the outfit M Diengdoh asked the Census enumerators not to resort to pressure tactics...

SHILLONG, February 17: The ruling Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum (MPF) has expressed full confidence in the leadership of Chief Minister EK Mawlong, reports PTI. MPF spokesman HB Dan told reporters here on Friday that a resolution expressing full confidence in Mawlong's leadership was adopted at a meeting held at the official residence of Mawlong on Thursday night. The MPF meeting was attended by almost all the MLAs of the ruling coalition government, Dan added. Earlier, in a separate meeting, the United democratic Parliamentary (UDP) party, a major partner of MPF, had also adopted a similar...

SHILLONG, February 17: To check influx of foreigners into India, the Meghalaya Government has suggested introduction of identity cards for the people in the state. A ten-point recommendations of the working group constituted by the State Government suggested distribution of identity cards within a period of five years. The recommendations were submitted to Chief Minister E K Mawlong yesterday. The report stressed on the need for reorganising the Prevention of Infiltration of Foreigners schemes and identification of infiltration-prone areas. The working group was set up in December 1999 under...

SHILLONG, February 14: The Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) recommended to the State party chief and former Chief Minister SC Marak to take "appropriate" action against dissident MLA Kapin Ch. Boro for attempting to split the Congress. The PAC in an emergency meeting at the residence of PR Kyndiah, noted with concern the claims made by Boro that he along with four other Congress MLAs would split the party for launching a new political party to be named 'Meghalaya Congress'. Party spokesman RG Lyngdoh said, "It was up to the party chief SC Marak...

SHILLONG, February 2: Talks between the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and the Meghalaya Government appears imminent with the Church leaders here taking the initiative to establish links with the militant outfit. Highly placed official sources today said that the Khasi Jaintia Church Leaders' Forum (KJCLF) has sent invitation letters to the key leaders of the HNLC asking then to come for talks on their demands. "Though the Church leaders have not been officially appointed as mediators, they have the blessings of the State Government to initiate a dialogue with the...