MDA to utilise Tura MP, Congress MP to oppose CAB in Parliament

Shillong Today
MDA leaders at Hotel Pinewood

Shillong Dec 6: The NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) has again decided to oppose the CAB, and the alliance will utlise Lok Sabha MP from Tura, Agatha K Sangma to raise voice against the CAB in Parliament, besides seeking the support of Congress MP from Meghalaya.

“We will again write a letter (from the MDA) and send it to the Government of India that we oppose the CAB. We also have Agatha K Sangma our MP of the MDA from the state, and we will also request our MP from the Congress side to support our unhappiness in as far as the CAB is concerned,” Meghalaya deputy chief minister, Prestone Tynsong told reporters after the MDA coordination committee meeting on CAB held at Hotel Pinewood in Shillong on Friday.

The BJP in Meghalaya which has two MLAs is also part of the MDA government led by the National People’s Party (NPP).

Assembly Speaker and UDP president, Metbah Lyngdoh, BJP legislator, A L Hek, and leaders of the NPP, HSPDP, PDF and NCP attended the meeting held its meeting on Friday and decided to oppose the CAB which has been approved the Union Cabinet and likely to tabled in Parliament on Monday.

Tynsong said that during the MDA Coordination Committee meeting all partners of the coalition expressed unhappiness against the CAB.

“The MDA government as a whole is not satisfied with the CAB. Our stand has been from day one that the CAB should be made applicable in Meghalaya. We went to New Delhi on November 30 and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah where during the meeting, in one voice we oppose the CAB and submitted one resolution by all political parties and stakeholders telling the Union Home Minister that we do not want the CAB in as far as Meghalaya state is concerned,” Tynsong said.

After the Union cabinet approved the draft CAB, Tynsong informed that they (Centre) have already incorporated only one line which states “Meghalaya being the sixth Schedule, the CAB will not be applicable only in sixth schedule areas.”

But Tynsong said, since Schedule areas in Meghalaya are not less than 96 to 97 per cent, why not exempt in another two or three per cent, and make it 100 per cent exemption.

.The MDA government was formed by political parties which include the NPP, United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), People’s Democratic Front (PDF), BJP and NCP, besides Independents.