NCP urges Meghalaya govt to remove Justice Baruah

Shillong, Sep 5 (UNI) Meghalaya's main opposition party, the NCP, has requested the Rymbai-led government to de-notify the Justice (retd) D N Baruah inquiry commission, probing September 30 firing incident in Williamnagar.

The NCP demand to de-notify the Baruah commission was is the backdrop of Garo Hills based NGOs, including the influential Garo Student's Union, and senior NCP leader Purno A Sangma who accused the commission of being ''biased'' while conducting a probe into the last year's firing.

Five people, including a woman, died in the police-firing incident.

Late last evening, a three-member NCP delegation led by NCP legislator met state Home Minister Robert G Lyngdoh and demanded immediate removal of Justice Baruah and replacing him with another one.

''We want the government to remove justice Baruah, as the people have doubted his neutrality in conducting the probe,'' NCP legislator Edmund K Sangma said.

However, the state government made it clear, that it could not denotify and replace if with a new Commission as the Commission was instituted as per the existing law.

''Once the commission is denotified, no more enquiry commission can be constituted for the same purpose,'' Home Minister Robert G Lyngdoh told reporters soon after meeting.

Refusing to comment on allegation against the Baruah Commission being ''biased'', Mr Lyngdoh refused to elaborate.

UNI RRK PC PR 1235