BJP Meghalaya spokesperson M. Kharkrang said the four demands raised by eight former United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs who recently joined the BJP have been discussed with the party’s central leadership.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Kharkrang said the eight MLAs had travelled to Delhi to discuss their demands with the central leadership. He said the leadership had agreed to the demands, but their implementation would require due procedures.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
BJP Meghalaya spokesperson M. Kharkrang spoke about four demands raised by eight former UDP MLAs.
He said the demands had been discussed with the BJP’s central leadership.
Kharkrang said implementation would require due government procedures.
He said the demands could be addressed one after another.
He said the postponement of the proposed Home Minister’s visit should not be linked to the demands.
The BJP reception for the eight MLAs may be held in the second week of October.
Kharkrang said the process could involve action by government departments, issuance of notifications and, where necessary, amendments to existing laws. He added that the demands might not be addressed simultaneously and could be taken up one after another.
He said it had been less than a month since the MLAs joined the BJP and that the implementation process could therefore take time. He also said the central leadership would not make commitments if it believed that any of the demands could not be implemented.
The four issues earlier identified by the MLAs included the coal mining issue, inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), and relocation of the Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The statement concerns the commitments discussed with the eight former UDP MLAs following their move to the BJP and the process for taking up their stated demands.
On the postponement of proposed visits to Meghalaya by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kharkrang said it should not be linked to the demands raised by the eight MLAs. He said the proposed visit was primarily related to the Presentation of Colours ceremony for the Meghalaya Police.
Kharkrang said there could have been urgent matters requiring the Home Minister’s attention in Delhi. He added that, to his knowledge, the Home Minister had also cancelled some overseas engagements.
On the proposed reception for the eight MLAs and their supporters, Kharkrang said the BJP had initially planned the programme for October 5 but postponed it following the postponement of the Home Minister’s visit. He said the reception could now be held in the second week of October and may require a large venue because supporters of the eight MLAs are expected to attend.
