Syiem questions CM's statement on VAB

A REPORTER

SHILLONG, Feb 12: The Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Pynshngain N Syiem on Friday questioned the logic of the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma statement on the issue pertaining to the Village Administration Bill (VAB). Two days after the Chief Minister attributed the delay due to the KHADC lethargic approach in pushing with the legislation, Syiem hit back with multiple queries on his observations.

Speaking with newsmen here on Friday, Syiem said, “The governor had sent the bill to the state government to seek clarification from the KHADC before the end of August 2015, and if the government was serious on the issue they should have sought clarification from us earlier instead of sending us a clarification letter on September 2015 after the bill had already been sent to the Union Home Ministry.”

He said there were few NGO who had written to the governor raising questions on some issues regarding the Bill and the KHADC had already replied four of the queries to the state government however there are some queries which the District Council has yet to reply.

“I want to know what the attitude of the state government is since even though the bill had already been sent to the Home Ministry on August 2015, the clarification letter from the government was received by the KHADC on 8 and 11 September 2015,” he said. Stating that it’s ironic the state government after sending the bill to the Home Ministry are seeking clarification from the District Council, Syiem said, “If the bill is not with the State government  then it’s the Home Ministry who should be seeking the clarification not the state government.”   

He said if the bill is still with the Governor or with the state government then the KHADC are ready to answer any query in order to materialize the Village Administration Bill.

“Now the government has already sent the bill to the Home Ministry and yet they seek clarification from the District Council this only shows the double stands of the state government,” he said.

According to him, the KHADC is bamboozled that the state government is seeking clarification form them despite the Bill have already been sent to Home Ministry.

He said now the state government has no more say regarding the bill since it’s in the hands of the Home Ministry.