Shillong: The Meghalaya Congress has slammed the decision of the district administration to impose Section 144 of the CrPC in Shillong on the counting day, June 4, calling it “regressive.”
“The decision to enforce Section 144 of the CrPC implies an anticipation of unrest, which is completely wrong from the administration’s side,” said Manuel Badwar, secretary of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee.
He said that while it is common to celebrate election victories, it does not necessarily mean such celebrations will lead to chaos.
“It is unfair to prevent people from rejoicing a win in an election. Celebration is important for democracy,” he asserted.
Badwar said that the imposition of Section 144 was not only regressive but also indicative of the administration’s mentality.
When asked if Congress demands the withdrawal of the prohibitory order, he said, “We should leave it to the administration’s judgment. We are not outrightly demanding its withdrawal, but the administration should reconsider its stance.”
“If you have a regressive mindset, you do regressive things. We are here to guide, not demand. Hopefully, some sense will prevail, and they will understand,” Badwar added.
Meanwhile, the Congress expressed confidence in winning both the Shillong and Tura seats. “Our internal assessment shows that we have a good chance,” said Badwar.
He said the literate voters of Meghalaya understand the importance of having strong representation in Parliament and the benefits of the Congress returning to power.