Shillong : Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Monday urged the Voice of the People Party (VPP) to refrain from holding its proposed march to the Meghalaya Secretariat and instead submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma for discussion.
Speaking to reporters, Dhar said there was no need for a public march when the government remained open to dialogue.
“There is no need for them to march. They can come and submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister. We can have a dialogue and discuss. That is usually how we run the government,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister stressed that the doors of the government are always open to all political parties to raise urgent issues.
He said any political party is welcome to meet the Chief Minister or the government to place its concerns, adding that discussions are the best way to resolve issues.
Responding to questions on whether the proposed VPP march had a political motive, Dhar said most of the issues raised by the party were already under discussion or in the process of being addressed.
He added that if the VPP wished to meet the Chief Minister, a small delegation of three to five leaders would be welcomed, as has been the practice with other organisations and protest groups.
Dhar also said the government remains committed to serving the people and is willing to discuss any shortcomings through dialogue.
On whether the government would formally invite the VPP, he said the matter would be handled by the Chief Minister since the party had expressed its intention to meet him.
The Deputy Chief Minister further questioned the need for public protests over what he described as minor issues, saying elected representatives should directly engage with the government instead of mobilising people for marches.
“If we have to call people to march to the Secretariat over petty issues, then what is the point of electing us? We were elected to represent the people’s concerns,” Dhar said.
He added that all MLAs and MDCs have the right to meet the Chief Minister and government officials at any time to discuss issues concerning their constituencies, reiterating that the government’s doors remain open for dialogue.