Opposition TMC MLA from Dadenggre constituency Rupa M. Marak has torn into Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, accusing him of systematically sidelining opposition legislators from government programmes while simultaneously blaming them for lack of development. Delivering an unflinching rebuttal to the Chief Minister’s recent remarks—where he alleged that constituencies held by opposition MLAs showed poor development because their representatives “prefer fake narratives over real issues”—Marak said the Chief Minister’s claims were “contradicting, misleading and unacceptable,” asserting that the government itself has repeatedly blocked opposition MLAs participation in official events in their own constituency.
Marak said this was not a party event where political rivalry is expected, but “a government program in which the local MLA should be a part of it.” He hit out at the ruling dispensation, calling it “unwilling” to involve opposition MLAs and accusing the administration of denying him even basic courtesy: information and invitations to state-led developmental activities within Dadenggre.
The MLA recounted multiple instances where he was allegedly excluded from official programmes. He claimed that once even he really had to gate crash his own constituency programme, as he claimed he was never invited to a government event held right under his nose. The scene played out during the MoU signing ceremony between AAI and the Government of Meghalaya—an event that should ordinarily have featured the local MLA as a key stakeholder, but instead became a stage for what the legislator described as a pattern of deliberate sidelining.
The MLA voiced deep frustration at what he described as a pattern of deliberate political humiliation. “I am doing this today is because of the disappointment, which I have. I am very, very disappointed at the way I am being treated. Yesterday there was an inaugural program under my constituency that is in Jengjal, the new Jengjal police station building was inaugurated yesterday but I wasn’t informed. But as a local MLA I should have been invited or informed regarding that. But no invitation, no information came from the part of the administration or government. I wasn’t there because of the very reason, I am very, very disappointed at the way I am being treated like that.”
He said the repeated sidelining could not be dismissed as an oversight. “This is not the first time that I am being treated like this. During the foundation stone laying ceremony for Ringgi Bridge, I wasn’t invited. The former MLA of Dadenggre James Sangma was there as Chief Guest, but the local MLA was not there. Even some people, they called me, they ask why you are not here because I wasn’t invited. I wasn’t informed actually and yesterday also it happened and during that MOU signing ceremony between AAI and Government of Meghalaya, in that program also, I wasn’t invited. I wasn’t invited at all, but thanks to some of my friends they send me the program in the evening – day before and I went there in the morning and I was present there. Seeing me present there, though I was not included in the program, our Chief Minister asked me to speak something in the program. They had to make this adjustment to make me speak. So this is not the first time I’m being treated like that.”
He questioned whether his vocal interventions in the Assembly were the reason for the government’s behaviour. “Why I am being treated like that? I don’t know. Is this because of the reason I am raising my voice for my people in the Assembly? I am raising issues very extensively for my constituency. As a responsible representative, I should do that. That is my duty, that is my responsibility to raise my voice to speak up for my people.”
Vowing to continue his fight, Marak declared he “cannot be silenced.” “I will speak more. I will speak. I cannot be silenced like that. I cannot be silenced. I will speak more. This is my responsibility to put the concerns, the issues which is affecting people in the grassroots under my constituency to the government in the floor of the house.”
He insisted that the government must uphold democratic norms rather than treat official programmes as party events. “This is my duty, I’m doing my duty and the government should do their duty in inviting the local MLA, involving the local MLA in these programs. This is not a party program, I should say. I would say this is not a party program. This is a government program in which I should be a part of, the local MLA should be a part of.”
Marak said the Chief Minister’s public claim of lack of development in opposition-held constituencies was an attempt to mislead the people while blocking opposition MLAs from participating in government initiatives. “Just few days back, I was seeing the statement of the honourable Chief Minister himself, he was saying that there is no development in the constituency of the opposition MLAs. But what I am seeing is the government is not willing to involve the opposition MLAs in the developmental programs of the government, which is very contradicting. On the other side is the CM that there is no development in the constituency of the opposition MLAs, and then he is showing the people that they don’t want to involve us the opposition MLA in the developmental programs. That is not acceptable. I’m very, very disappointed.”
Affirming his constitutional rights as an elected representative, he added, “I know my rights. I know my rights and no one can snatch the privilege which I have. I cannot be silenced, I will not bow down. A politics is played during elections, not during government programs.”
