Meghalaya Food Minister Blames Lack of Railways for Price Hike; KSU Criticizes Statement
Meghalaya’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Comingone Ymbon, has attributed the rise in essential commodity prices to the absence of railway connectivity in the state. This claim has drawn sharp criticism from the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), which accused the minister of deflecting attention from the government’s inaction on the issue.
KSU General Secretary Donald V. Thabah labeled Ymbon’s remarks as "irresponsible" and urged the public to dismiss such statements. Thabah reiterated the union’s longstanding opposition to railways in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills area. He asserted that the KSU would only consent to railway projects once stringent mechanisms, such as the Eastern Bengal Frontier Regulation of 1873 or the Inner Line Permit (ILP), are enforced to prevent an influx of outsiders into the state.
Thabah also recalled the 1989 protests against railways, warning that the union would take action against any new initiatives to introduce them.
Simultaneously, Minister Ymbon accused the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) of politicizing the price rise issue to deceive voters ahead of the upcoming Autonomous District Council (ADC) elections. He argued that the state’s lack of railway infrastructure forces it to rely entirely on trucks for transporting essential goods, thereby contributing to higher prices.
Ymbon’s comments followed a one-day sit-in demonstration by the VPP, protesting against the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities that have severely impacted the people of Meghalaya.
In summary, the debate surrounding the state’s transportation infrastructure and the rise in essential commodity prices has intensified, with the KSU and the VPP taking strong stands against the government’s explanations and actions.
Original Story https://www.indiatodayne.in/meghalaya/story/meghalaya-ksu-rebukes-minister-for-using-railways-to-distract-from-government-failures-1092967-2024-09-15?utm_source=rssfeed
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