The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Monday decided to keep the sit in demonstration agitation in abeyance till the time a meeting with the Chief Minister is convened.
Talking to media, VPP supremo Ardent M Basaiawmoit said the decision was taken following their meeting with the law Minister Dr. M Ampareen Lyngdoh.
“Since there will be a meeting between the party and the Chief Minister and the high officials, we feel it will be appropriate on our part to keep this sit in demonstration, this agitation in abeyance,” Basaiawmoit said.
Earlier, the Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Monday morning once again began its agitation to pressurise the state government to reinstate the three Lokayukta officials who were fired. The VPP leaders and members were once again stopped as they proceeded towards the Meghalaya Secretariat.
Soon, the VPP delegation was invited for a meeting by Law Minister Dr. M Ampareen Lyngdoh. Basaiawmoit said the party’s delegation have asked the Minister incharge law to convey all important points raised by the party to the Chief Minister as he expects Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to call VPP for talks in a day or two.
“We are expecting the meeting in a day or two because we don’t feel right to issue an ultimatum for everything; we are considerate enough to allow the government to inform us over phone. If the talks between the VPP and the Government fail, if the Government fails to convince its justification in removing those officials then it will obviously resume,” the VPP president said.
The opposition party initially called for a protest last Friday to press for reinstatement of the three Lokayukta officials who were sacked by the state government unceremoniously.
“We have given a letter to the Government expressing our displeasure for removing those officials from the Lokayukta. We know for sure that the law Minister cannot give any decision and we cannot arrive to any logical conclusion but we want to convey a message clearly that as a party we don’t want to create any trouble and our decision to hit the street is not to create trouble but we have a valid reason which is that when a Government unceremoniously remove or terminate the services of these three officers we feel it is our duty to take up the matter,” he said.
The state government justified the trio’s removal by stating that the Lokayukta rules require serving officials to hold the posts.
“We are not convinced with the clarification of the Government that whatever the Government has done is because the appointment of those officials is against the law,” the VPP leader added.
Stating the need to further strengthen the Meghalaya Lokayukta Act, Basaiawmoit said, “Stop interfering with the functioning of the Lokayukta so that you will witness many, who will get arrested and put behind bars due to corrupt practices.”
Meanwhile, the VPP chief has warned to take up with the privilege committee against police personnel, who were allegedly involved in manhandling the legislators on the first day of agitation,
“The Assembly has a privilege committee. Our MLAs will take up (the matter). We have nothing against them (police) but we are elected representatives and we have been elected to be the voice of the people,” he said.
The VPP also objected to the police personnel on duty for covering their faces while dealing with protesters during the protest.
“We are not against police personnel but police are not supposed to cover their faces when they deal with public representatives and common people especially when we fight in a democratic manner. We are not violators, we are law abiding citizens, we know the law. In fact, it was the district administration who violated the law. The district administration before imposing section 144 should understand the motive behind the protest. This is an attempt to prevent (us from protesting). The supreme court in 1967 has stated this 144 section cannot be invoked as a tool to prevent legitimate expression of opinion and grievances,” he said.
The VPP president also said he will be raising the issue of manhandling of VPP MLAs by the police during his meeting with the Chief Minister.