Meghalaya: People Forum flays Cong; land alienation

Shillong, May 10: Several NGOs have severely criticised the regional allies of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance(MDA) government for failing to halt rampant alienation of tribal land in the name of industrial development.

The Khasi Women Welfare and Development Association (KWWADA) have also lambasted the four regional political parties - United Democratic Party, Meghalaya Democratic Party, Hill State People's Democratic Party and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement - for maintaining silence over the land alienation issue in the state.

The Meghalaya Indigenous People's Forum (MIPF) have criticised the regional parties for shying away from taking up the issue with the government.

''If the regional parties do not wake up, people should do so before it is too late,'' the MIPF said.

In fact, the MIPF had submitted several memoranda to the state and Centre urging them to review the state's industrial policy.

The BJP has urged the people to raise objections against the Lapang-led ministry over the violation of state land laws by allotting plots to private parties in the name of industrial development of the state.

UNI