‘Wasn’t aware’: Meghalaya CM after Rahul’s interactive program denied permission

Sangma said the Congress had not sought permission nor submitted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from either the headman or the USTM

Shillong: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday stated that he was not aware of any permission denial for an interactive program by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the University of Science & Technology (USTM) in Ri Bhoi district on Tuesday.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma (File Photo)

Speaking to journalists after a program on Wednesday, Sangma said, “I am not aware of this as permission does not come from the government. Permissions are given at the district level by the DC.”

The CM was responding to Opposition Indian National Congress’ Meghalaya President Vincent H Pala’s accusation that the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) state government was “spineless” and controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi and Assam.

On Tuesday, Pala had expressed vexed exasperation at the government’s decision to not grant permission for Gandhi’s interaction with students of USTM, even as he pointed out that permission was given to a Jai Sri Ram team marching from Guwahati to Meghalaya but denied for the Gandhi scion’s program.

Elaborating on the matter, Sangma revealed that based on the documentation made available to him, it was indicated that Congress had not sought permission nor submitted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from either the headman or the USTM, “which are basic requirements as per district-level conditions for any programme”.

The CM explained, “If any political party wants to organize such programs, they have to apply for the necessary permission with the required NOCs, and that was not done.”

Mentionably, Pala, who represents Shillong in the Lok Sabha told journalists on Tuesday, “This government grants space to various groups. If people walk from Assam to Meghalaya, we don’t mind, but why grant permission to them and not to us? This is a serious matter. The people of Meghalaya should think, and they should know that this government is spineless, being controlled by the BJP in New Delhi and leaders from Assam.”

He further claimed, “We sensed from the Director of USTM that he has faced many threats. It is a significant challenge in the NE as threats have increased towards our institutions, people, and business community.”

Despite this challenge, Pala informed that the senior Congress leader did manage to interact with students and members of the North East Congress Coordination Committee.

Alleging that the government’s refusal to grant permission was due to the BJP’s opposition to Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra, Pala said, “The BJP does not want Rahul Gandhi to connect with the people. The purpose of the Yatra was to connect, listen, and understand the people’s views. This helps us gauge the people’s mindset for effective governance and when preparing our manifesto to make promises.”