NGOs mount pressure, CM still searching for reasons

REMOVAL OF LYNDONG

FROM A REPORTER

SHILLONG, Feb 9: Even as pressure mounts on the state government from various NGOs to remove HDR Lyndong from the position of Home Minister, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma stated that he has not found any reason to actually ask or relief him from the position of Home Minister.

It may be mentioned that demands for the Home Minister’s removal gained support after a 14-year-old girl was repeatedly raped in a guest house owned by the former’s family members.  “We have seen some demands coming from some sections for his removal as Home Minister however we will have to look at all the inputs coming from the investigating agency (Police) and base on the input I have not found any reason to actually ask him or removed him from State Cabinet,” Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters here on Thursday.

He, however, said, “If there is a slightest indication that there is some amount of reason to believe that some influence is attempted by him (HRD) then I would have done it.” When asked on Julius Dorphang accused in the sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old girl who is also holding a Chairman post in a government cooperation, Sangma said, “What we have done is de-notified his political appointment however he remains as a legislator.” When asked about the current status of the Raj Bhawan case and whether the state has been communicating with the centre, the Chief Minister said that he has further asked for more legal opinion.

“I have further asked for some more legal opinion on this and everything which is linked with legalities will have to be guided by the law of the land and all other spaces as per the mandate of the law of the land,” he said. Asked whether the investigation will be done by the state or the centre, Sangma maintained that the he is seeking legal opinion and being directed to get legal opinion from different sources and not just one source and will have wait to be guided by the legal opinion.