With opposition parties in Meghalaya refusing to be part of the all-party committee constituted by the state government to deliberate on the contentious railway project in the Khasi-Jaintia region, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday underscored that dialogue remains the only path to any resolution, asserting that without talks, consensus would remain elusive.
Speaking to mediapersons, Sangma framed the railway issue as a sensitive and long-pending matter that demands collective understanding rather than unilateral action. He stressed that the government has consciously chosen restraint, making it clear that no step would be taken unless all stakeholders are consulted and a broad agreement is reached. The Chief Minister said, “I am very clear on Railways and I have mentioned this many times, that it’s a sensitive issue and hence for us as the government we are very clear that we only move forward once we have concenses, once we have dialogue and discussion and we have some sought of agreement on how we can move forward in this together.”
Highlighting the intent behind convening the all-party meeting, Sangma said the initiative was rooted in inclusivity, but noted with concern that most opposition parties chose to stay away, with some formally communicating their refusal to participate. He said, “That is why keeping that in mind we have called all party meeting to discuss this matter and ofcourse most of the parties didn’t come to the meeting infact some of them wrote to us saying we will not be part of discussion.”
The Chief Minister pointed out the inherent contradiction in rejecting dialogue while simultaneously questioning government actions. Emphasising the importance of engagement, he remarked, “So that where we stand, we have to understand that wheather we agree or disagree, until and unless we talk, we will not reach anywhere. If you don’t want to talk also and at the same time when we try to do something, you say why are you doing it now and why didn’t you discuss with us, it’s difficult to move forward.”
Reiterating the government’s position, Sangma said there would be no haste or unilateral decision-making on the railway project. He maintained, “We are very clear We are going to move forward only when we are able to consult and get everybody on board. We will not move forward with anything until and unless there is some sought of consensus in that.”
Stressing that the process is far from over, the Chief Minister said the government would continue to engage with the public, clarify misconceptions and address concerns related to the project before taking the matter forward. He added, “We will continue to explain to people about the benefits of this and we will try to address the concerns that they may have and we will try to address the concerns that they may have and see if we are able to come to a meeting point following which we will be able to take it to Delhi.”
