Shillong, August 6: The opposition party, Voice of the People Party (VPP), organized a significant march to the Meghalaya Secretariat on Thursday. The party called for action on ten critical public issues.
VPP described this march as one of the largest gatherings in the state’s recent political history, claiming over 100,000 participants. However, while the rally drew a considerable crowd, the turnout was lower than the party’s estimates.
According to VPP, the demonstration aimed to pressure the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government on various matters. These include the implementation of the ‘Lum Pongdeng’ project, the release of a ‘White Paper’, an independent review of recruitments through the District Selection Committee (DSC), Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC), and other agencies, as well as robust security measures for the rights of indigenous people. The party also called for laws to regulate migration and identify indigenous residents, restore the rights of street vendors, and recognize traditional village heads and their councils.
Additionally, the party demanded stricter regulations for the coke and cement industries, protection of rivers and other water sources, a ban on rampant sand and stone mining, and strict action against illegal coal mining, transportation, and the alleged syndicates operating in this sector.
This protest is politically significant as it occurred less than three weeks before the Meghalaya Assembly’s autumn session, scheduled from August 24 to 28. During this session, the opposition will have the opportunity to raise these issues through debates, questions, and proposals.
Before the march, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma questioned the need for a street protest with the Assembly session approaching. He stated that the Assembly is the appropriate democratic platform for elected representatives to address public issues and reiterated that the government is open to dialogue.
A moment of embarrassment for the VPP occurred during the protest when party leader and MDC Powell Sokhlet led chants against rival political parties but mistakenly included VPP among those being criticized. The crowd echoed the chants without hesitation, indicating that many were not fully aware of the protest’s purpose. These incidents sparked political debate about the effectiveness of uniting large numbers of people in Meghalaya and whether the participants were adequately informed about the issues being raised.
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