Shillong, Aug 6 — The opposition Voice of the People's Party (VPP) on Thursday staged a massive march to the Meghalaya Secretariat, demanding action on what it termed 10 key public issues.
The VPP had projected the march as one of the largest public mobilisations in the state's recent political history, claiming that over 1 lakh people would participate. While the rally witnessed a significant turnout, the attendance fell short of the party's projection.
According to the VPP, the demonstration was organised to press the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government on a range of issues, including the implementation of the Lum Pongdeng project along with the release of a White Paper, an independent review of recruitments conducted through the District Selection Committee (DSC), Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) and other agencies, stronger safeguards for indigenous rights, legislation to regulate migration and identify indigenous residents, restoration of the rights of street vendors, and recognition of traditional village heads and their councils.
The party has also demanded stricter regulation of coke and cement industries, protection of rivers and other water bodies, an end to indiscriminate sand and stone mining and waste dumping into water sources, and decisive action against illegal coal mining, transportation and alleged syndicates operating in the sector.
The protest assumes political significance as it comes less than three weeks before the Autumn Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, scheduled from August 24 to 28, where the opposition will have the opportunity to raise these issues through debates, questions and motions.
Ahead of the march, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma questioned the necessity of organising a street protest when the Assembly session was imminent. He maintained that the Legislature remained the appropriate democratic forum for elected representatives to pursue public issues and reiterated that the government was open to discussion.
The protest also witnessed an embarrassing moment for the VPP when party leader and MDC Powell Sohkhlet, while leading slogans against rival political parties, appeared to inadvertently include the VPP among those he asked the crowd to denounce.
The crowd echoed the slogans without apparent hesitation, highlighting what observers described as a lack of awareness among many participants about the protest's messaging.
The developments have triggered political debate in Meghalaya over the effectiveness of mass mobilisations and whether participants were adequately informed about the issues being raised.