Shillong, Sept 19: Congress leader, Mohendro Rapsang and his supporters have denied the allegation of their involvement in hurling petrol bomb at the residence UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh at Mawprem here.
The petrol bomb was lobbed by miscreants at the room allotted to the guard at Lyngdoh’s house at Mawprem at around 5 am on Monday.
Lyngdoh, who is the MLA of the UDP from West Shillong constituency, has blamed his political rival (Rapsang) for the petrol bomb attack.
“This is the handiwork of my political rivals who have been campaigning in an aggressive style. It is a testimony of the fact that money power can lead to a situation to go out of control. I am sure these are paid goons of my opponent,” Lyngdoh alleged.
Speaking to reporters at his residence at Jaïaw here, Rapsang said that the allegation made by Lyngdoh was baseless and said that he has joined to contest the election not to indulge in such shameful act but win people’s heart.
“It really pains me that such allegations came from the MLA who directly charges me for the incident. I did not join politics to do cheap things like threatening or assaulting people or indulge in arson. We are fighting the election on the agenda of uplifting the poor, and improve health and education,” he said.
Rapsang along with his supporters also condemned the petrol bomb attack at the house of the MLA and urged police to thoroughly investigate the case and punish the perpetrators.
Rapsang also said that houses of his supporters were attacked with petrol bomb in the past and a CCTV camera installed at the Congress office at Lower Mawprem was also destroyed by miscreants on September 17 between 1.20 am and 2 am.
An FIR was lodged with police on Monday and submitted evidences where images of three persons involved in damaging the CCTV camera were seen in a footage.
Rapsang said that blaming his supporters for the incident was only a move to sabotage the upcoming Assembly poll.
He said that he along with his supporters left it to the police to investigate, trace out the perpetrators and bring out the truth.
The Congress leader also urged police to beef up security in West Shillong constituency by deploying more police personnel especially from 10 pm onwards.
Rishan Nongsiej who is Rapsang’s supporter, said that four to five incidents of petrol bomb attack in the house of Congress supporters including the destruction of CCTV camera had taken place since November last year till date.
“We have lodged complaints with police in most of the incidents,” he said while urging police to speed up the investigation.
Lyngdoh had defeated Rapsang by a thin margin of 481 votes in the 2013 Assembly poll. Lyngdoh polled 9,333 votes while Rapsang secured 8,852 votes.
Condemnation has also come from various quarters including Hill State People’s Democratic Party president, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit.
“Such incident disturbed peace and tranquility, and created fear among the people,” Basaiawmoit said, while asking police to take strong precautionary steps to prevent such incident in future.
The BJP mandal committee of West Shillong constituency, president, Sonny L. Khyriem also condemned the petrol bomb attack.
“The party will never support or take side with any political parties whose ideologies are detrimental to the values of secularism and posing threats to democracy. As election draw nearer, we request the people to be aware of misleading comments, insinuations and actions to whom service to the people is purely secondary and achievement of personal glory and power is primary,” Khyriem said.