Meghalaya Youth Congress slams government’s ‘lavish concert politics’ amid GHADC salary crisis

Correspondent

Shillong: The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress has launched a scathing attack on the State Government over its decision to organise a grand concert on September 1 at Williamnagar to mark the birth anniversary of the late P.A. Sangma, former Lok Sabha Speaker and towering Garo Hills leader.

President of the Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress, Timjim K. Momin, said, “We wish to make it clear that the Youth Congress is not against the observance of Late P.A. Sangma’s birth anniversary. He was a towering leader of the nation and a source of pride for the people of Garo Hills. However, we strongly believe that such an occasion should be observed in a dignified and meaningful manner, not through lavish concerts that cost lakhs and crores of rupees while the employees of GHADC remain unpaid for months.”

In a statement laced with political undertones, the Youth Congress aligned itself with East Garo Hills NGOs and citizens who have already raised their voices against what it termed the Government’s “extravagance, insensitivity, and misplaced priorities.”

“Does extravagance hold greater importance than the survival and dignity of thousands of employees and their families?” the Youth Congress questioned, stressing that if funds can be diverted for concerts, they should first be used to clear months of pending salaries of GHADC employees.

Accusing the ruling NPP of reducing governance to “political optics,” the Youth Congress alleged that the Government is betraying public trust. “It is often said by great statesmen that ‘the nation comes first, then the party.’ But for the NPP, the opposite seems to hold true — party and self-interest come before the people. By choosing concerts over salaries, they have once again shown that their priority is not governance, but political optics,” the statement added.

The Youth Congress further argued that the legacy of P.A. Sangma deserved programmes that “inspire, uplift, and address the needs of the people,” not events that “ignore their suffering.” Declaring solidarity with GHADC employees and NGOs, the party vowed to continue raising its voice against what it branded as “anti-people governance.”

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