Shillong: Refuting the claim of the opposition Congress on the existence of a ‘high level’ tribe in the State, deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday demanded documentary evidence for the same.
“If only you can produce the documentary proof, nothing like it, but just for hearsay and interest of speaking, government does not at all accept this kind of statement made that we need to create one more tribe in Meghalaya,” he said in his reply to a cut motion jointly moved by two opposition members Dr Celestine Lyngdoh from the Congress and Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit from the Voice of the People Party (VPP) in the Assembly.
Taking part in the debate on the budget in the Assembly, the Congress legislator said that a new tribe known as the ‘high level ‘tribe has emerged in the state. Lyngdoh said the new tribe has been allowed to prosper under the watch of the MDA 1 government.
“The MDA I government has allowed this new tribe to prosper and because of this, the police – the men in uniform – have lost face in front of Meghalaya High Court,” he maintained. Stating that the word ‘high level’ is always in the market, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “At that point of time when MDA was there, being its spokesperson, I keep clarifying myself by saying why don’t you bring the members of that high level and why not file FIR against members of the high level.”
On the Meghalaya High Court order for the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to check against illegal transportation of coal in the state, Tynsong commended the performance of the state police and said that the state police are capable enough in dealing with the matter.
“I will not talk much on the high court ruling but let me assure this House that our police force are equipped enough to handle things in the state,” the Deputy Chief Minister said, adding that the government has given free hand to the police force to handle things be it criminal issues or law and order issues or relating to safety and security of the state.
He said that the allegation made on the ‘high level tribe’ was just a political speech.
The Deputy Chief Minister also informed that the government would soon examine the explanation submitted by Tactical Team-I, which had conducted the operation at the residence of former Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, which led to his death on August 13, 2021.
Police had claimed the former extremist was shot in self-defence after he tried to stab them. Thangkhiew’s death had led to widespread violence with an angry mob setting vehicles on fire and brandishing firearms snatched from the police.
