A day after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former youth Congress chief Richard Marak was apprehended and taken into custody in connection with the violent attack on the Meghalaya chief minister's meeting with ACHIK leaders at the Commissioner of Divisions office in Dakopgre, Tura last Monday, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Meghalaya has expressed shock and dismay on the statement made by LR Bishnoi, DG, Police Meghalaya on the immediate investigation made by the Police department.
The party claimed that the DGP, Meghalaya and SP, Tura should be immediately suspended as due to their failure in executing their duties they have gravely endangered the life of the Chief Minister and have put at risk many innocent lives that have participated in the meeting.
Meghalaya TMC in a press note said that the top cop's statement gravely highlights the incompetence and failure of the Police Department under his leadership which has ended in mob violence and subsequent fallout of events.
1. The DGP, Meghalaya has disclosed that there was a “planned conspiracy” to harm the Chief Minister. This itself shows the incompetence and abject failure of the Police Department in timely detection of the “planned conspiracy” while it was hatched. Under LR Bishnoi, the Police have endangered the life of the Chief Minister and put at risk the lives of many innocent people who had peacefully gathered before the CMO, Tura.
2. The anger that was venting against one of the Cabinet Minister prior to her visit to Tura was ignored and the Police Department was taking matters casually. The posts in Social media indicate that emotions and aspirations were already running high. Even MLAs were targeted in numerous online comments. This points to one glaring fact – that the Police Department was complicit in allowing the violence to happen and have endangered the life of the Chief Minister. There is a larger modus operandi that attempts to taint innocent people, women, local leaders, political parties and even NGOs.
3. The DGP, Meghalaya has in his statement blamed several conspirators who have planned to harm the CM while he was meeting people in his own Constituency. The Police are, therefore, informing us that the Chief Minister is being targeted by his own constituents and he is not safe even in his own constituency!
Thus, based on the above reasons, TMC Meghalaya demanded an independent probe monitored by the Meghalaya High Court be immediately instituted to investigate the violence that happened in Tura on July 24, 2023.
Secondly, that the DGP, Meghalaya and SP, Tura be immediately suspended as due to their failure in executing their duties they have gravely endangered the life of the Chief Minister and have put at risk many innocent lives that have participated in the meeting. The complicity of the Police cannot be ruled out and have a hand in instigating the violence inspite of them knowing about the “planned conspiracy” well in time.
