Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, on Wednesday met Governor C. H. Vijayashankar at Raj Bhawan in Shillong to brief him on the law and order situation in the Garo Hills region.
The meeting came after more than ten days of disturbances in the area, with the state government indicating a gradual return to normalcy even as intermittent incidents continue to pose challenges.
Also Read: Internet ban in Garo Hills curtails access, disrupts education and economy: Bernard N Marak
The in-person briefing carried added significance given that Sangma had spent much of the past two weeks stationed in Garo Hills to directly oversee the ground situation.
During that period, the Chief Minister had relied primarily on phone calls to keep the Governor informed. Wednesday's meeting was his first opportunity to give a comprehensive, face-to-face account of events.
"For most of the last two weeks, I was in Garo Hills. There were different situations and law and order issues that required my full attention," Sangma told reporters after the meeting.
"I could only communicate with the Governor over the phone. Therefore, I felt it appropriate to come and brief him, along with Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home, Prestone Tynsong, about the current situation and the different incidents that led to the law and order challenges we faced," he said.
When asked about the number of arrests made in connection with the disturbances, Sangma was clear that operational details were not his domain to speak on.
"Regarding the arrests, it is purely the Police Department's responsibility. Based on available evidence and applicable rules, the police will take action. I am not aware of how many arrests have been made or who has been arrested. It is purely a police matter," he said.
He added that Superintendents of Police were better placed to respond to such questions.
On the current ground conditions, Sangma described a meaningful improvement while stopping short of declaring the situation fully resolved.
"Incidents of violence have declined, but sporadic incidents continue to occur occasionally. While the situation has improved, we are keeping a close watch to ensure that normalcy returns," he said.
The Chief Minister pointed to the lifting of the internet ban as one concrete indicator that conditions have stabilised.
"To a large extent, normalcy has returned, and people are going about their day-to-day lives. After assessing the situation, the internet ban has also been lifted. These are signs of normalcy returning, but we are carefully monitoring the situation," Sangma said.