Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma has issued a stern warning to the government, cautioning that bulldozing the concerns of the youth could ignite frustration, anger, and rebellion, ultimately plunging the state into lawlessness. Reacting to the escalating law and order situation, particularly in East Khasi Hills, he criticized the government’s approach, emphasizing that those speaking up for the people should not be treated as criminals.
“Challenges will be there, and at the same time, issues that are not acceptable to the people—whether in terms of policies or proposed legislations—should not be bulldozed. Then you will have this kind of rebellious attitude from our youth. Frustration, anger, rebellion—this is how things unfold, and eventually, this leads to a situation where you will see all lawlessness and, sometimes, the ugly faces of such lawlessness,” Dr. Sangma asserted.
He urged people not to take the law into their own hands but emphasized that democracy provides the space to articulate concerns in the right manner. Referring to the recent unrest in Garo Hills, he recalled raising the issue in the Assembly and during budget discussions. He expressed dismay over the handling of the situation, particularly how student protesters were treated.
“Have I not talked about what is happening in Garo Hills? Even when I tabled that (Winter Capital) resolution, people were trying to draw the government’s attention, and it resulted in a chaotic situation because of how the district administration handled it—with the Chief Minister himself present. And what was the fallout? Running after young boys, students from colleges, arresting them under UALA as though they are terrorists. Applying the law that is meant for terrorists, the law against terrorists—this is not the way to handle a situation like this. It gives substantive evidence of the government’s failure to deal with such matters,” he said.
Dr. Sangma further stressed that those raising issues on behalf of the people should not be treated as criminals. He recalled how even former members of militant groups like the GNLA were rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, contributing to the state’s development.
“We have seen that even people who joined militant organizations, terrorist organizations, GNLA—we have brought them back. They have assimilated into society, become part of the national mainstream, and are now actively involved in the development and growth of the state. This is how we have handled challenges in the past.”
Reiterating his call for the government to engage with the youth rather than suppress them, Dr. Sangma warned that heavy-handed measures would only provoke further unrest. “Therefore, challenges will be there, and at the same time, issues that are not acceptable to the people—whether in terms of policies or proposed legislations—should not be bulldozed. Otherwise, you will see frustration, anger, rebellion, and eventually, lawlessness.”