SHILLONG : Meghalaya BJP leader and Pynthorumkhrah MLA AL Hek on Tuesday called for an official inquiry into a recent student protest and the circumstances that led to clashes, saying the government should establish the facts before taking any action.
Hek stopped short of directly endorsing the Civil Society of Professionals (CJP)’s demand for the resignation of a minister, saying the priority should be the welfare and safety of students.
“Whether it is CJP or any other party, we are concerned about our students who are affected. For any public cause, it is our duty to ensure there are no problems,” Hek said while speaking to reporters.
He said the government should first ascertain what actually happened before acting on demands for resignation or allegations of excessive use of force.
“Let the authorities verify what the main issue is. After that, the government will take appropriate action. Law and order agencies must physically check what happened on the ground,” he said.
Hek also said that condemning individuals or authorities without establishing the facts would not be justified.
“Before we appreciate or condemn anyone, we need to know the facts. An inquiry is the responsibility of the government,” he said.
The BJP leader also defended the government’s overall performance, saying public discussions should also take into account policies and initiatives that he claimed were aimed at benefiting the people.
“People only look at the negative. But policies are being made to benefit the people,” he said.