Meghalaya: Opposition boycotts Governor’s address protesting against controversial tweet

Meghalaya Governor's tweet against Kashmiris after the Pulwama attack stirred controversy in the state. In the Meghalaya Assembly on Friday as a protest the Opposition Congress boycotted the address of governor Tathagata Roy.

The Congress leaders also slammed PM Narendra Modi for not taking any action against Roy for his "anti-national" message.

Speaking to the media, Opposition leader Mukul Sangma said, "With a heavy heart, we would like to share our agony and anger in respect of the narrative that was generated by the honourable Governor Roy. He tweeted saying that all Kashmiri goods should be boycotted, people should not visit Kashmir. Does it augur well for the nation when a person who is holding a constitutional post not less than a governor of a state can engage in this kind of message which is capable of creating a rift among the citizens?"

After the attack that had killed 40 CRPF jawans, Roy had tweeted: "An appeal from a retired colonel of the Indian Army: Don't visit Kashmir, don't go to Amarnath for the next two years. Don't buy articles from Kashmir emporia or Kashmiri tradesman who come every winter. Boycott everything Kashmiri. I am inclined to agree."

"We have seen what happened immediately after the incident. Lots of lynching incidents took place across the nation against Kashmiris and that was the time when our Governor of Meghalaya tweeted this," said Sangma adding that at a time of terror attack, the nation's fight is against terrorism and not against a community or people.

"If such a terrorist attack takes place in the northeast, will people like the Governor ask everyone to boycott the region?. These are the kind of people who are dividing the nation and trying to give fodder to
anti-national forces," he further stated.

"The Prime Minister should have pulled up the Governor and he (Roy) should have been removed from the office in the nation's best interest and must send out a strong message that the youth are against terrorism," Sangma said.