Meghalaya CM slams opposition, says in the Khasi and Garo culture people don't spit on the plate from which they eat

National People's Party Chief and Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, campaigned for party candidate Samlin Malngiang in the Sohiong constituency on May 1. 

During his address, Sangma touched upon various issues, including the mining industry, infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and political hypocrisy.

Sangma highlighted the efforts made by his government to open up mining in the state, which had been under a ban by the National Green Tribunal. After filing a case in 2019, the Supreme Court lifted the ban and asked the Government of Meghalaya and India to work on different mining plans and leases to allow scientific mining. Sangma announced that the Government of India has finally approved mining leases for four miners, and the final paperwork for scientific mining will be completed within 60 days.

Speaking about the Western Bypass project worth more than Rs 800 crore, he said the project was initiated by the NPP and will transform the lives of people in the area. “Almost 80% of the Western Bypass will go from this constituency. Can you imagine the lives that will change, the employment that will be generated, the tourism that will develop, and the farmers will be benefited. This is the developmental politics of the National People's Party,” he reasoned.

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Sangma also assured the people that the demands for improved educational and healthcare facilities will be taken forward. 

He further emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation in politics and called out political hypocrisy. He criticized some political parties and leaders for making speeches against the NPP during election campaigns, despite working with them when it was convenient for them. “I want to tell them (other political parties) in our culture, in the Indian culture as well as in the Khasi culture and in the Garo culture also, we don't spit on the plate from which we eat. Please remember we don't!” he remarked. 

“We are good and we are kind and we work together because we believe in working together… I have never uttered a single word against these people, but it hurts me today when I hear such language and such divisive politics that people are playing. This is not healthy for our people and for our state,” he argued.

Urging the people to vote for the NPP candidate to bring development and change to the Sohiong constituency, he stressed that the only way to bring development to the constituency is to vote for the political party leading the government, which is the NPP. Sangma urged the people not to listen to any other political party and ensure that the Sohiong constituency becomes a model constituency.

“You already know that it is the National People’s Party, the NPP, that is leading this government and hence casting your vote for any other candidate, for any other political party will be a loss for you and for the people of Sohiong constituency. Because the only way that we can take the Sohiong constituency forward, the only way that we can bring development to the Sohiong constituency is to be with the government and to vote for the political party that is leading the government and that is the NPP party. Therefore, in order to bring change and development, I urge all of you don't listen to any other political party coming and giving a speech in order to ensure that we are able to make so young constituency a model constituency,” he concluded.