CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee Working President Deborah C Marak condemned the recent violence and alleged security lapses, while urging the state government to expedite the expansion of airport infrastructure to reduce Meghalaya’s dependence on Assam.
Marak said the vandalism of vehicles, incidents involving tourists and the subsequent blockade at Jorabat had exposed vulnerabilities in the state’s connectivity infrastructure and could affect its tourism-dependent economy.
Questioning the government’s preparedness, she asked why adequate police forces had not been deployed along the rally route and other vulnerable locations despite the possibility of trouble. She also questioned the state’s intelligence and security mechanisms and called for preventive measures to protect citizens and tourists.
Marak said the government should have engaged with student organisations and civil society groups before tensions escalated.
She warned that prolonged disruptions could hurt Meghalaya’s tourism sector, which provides livelihoods to thousands of people, and appealed to the governments of Meghalaya and Assam to maintain the safety and dignity of citizens travelling between the two states. Marak also urged the Meghalaya government to expedite the expansion and strengthening of airport infrastructure to substantially reduce the state’s dependence on Assam for air connectivity.
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