What is wrong with Meghalaya Home Minister James K. Sangma? Why is he behaving like a ruffian, and bullying working journalists?
James K Sangma on Monday, without any rhyme or reason, confronted with a group of journalists, and specifically targeted E M Jose, news editor of The Shillong Times.
It is definite that the Meghalaya Home Minister, who is also the spokesman of the NPP-led government, was nervous about something, and did not want to face the media.
A group of journalists wanted to meet the Home Minister on Monday evening for some quick comments for their stories. But, the minister did not call them, and claimed to be busy.
At around 5:30 pm when James K. Sangma walked out of his room, the journalists approached him, wished “Happy New Year”, and wanted to shake hands with the Home Minister.
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“What the hell are you doing? Why are you blocking my way like that?” the minister yelled at the journalists.
James K. Sangma’s behavior was Monday surprised everyone. Otherwise, he is a soft-spoken and introvert politician.
According to political analysts, the Home Minister’s behavior was nothing but a knee-jerk reaction to the media’s role in closely covering the anti-CAA protests in Meghalaya.
The NPP-led government is under tremendous pressure in Meghalaya after Tura MP Agatha K. Sangma had voted in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha.
The government is also caught on the wrong foot after New Delhi’s lukewarm response to Meghalaya government request to bring the state under Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime.
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Journalists in Shillong are scheduled to meet on Tuesday afternoon to discuss about James K. Sangma’s weird behavior with a group of professional journalists.
“I am a professional journalist, and had no intentions to block the Home Minister’s way. How can we try to block his way when he had his security guards with him?” EM Jose told Northeast Now on Tuesday morning.
People on social media condemned the incident after a video of the confrontation was shared by some journalists.
In addition to the fiddly political issues, James K. Sangma is also under pressure for the Meghalaya government’s failure to pay Rs 620 crore to the NEEPCO for the power purchase.
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The NEEPCO has recently expressed serious displeasure and has written to the Ministry of Power to deduct Rs 620 crore from Meghalaya’s Central of allocation fund.
James K. Sangma, who is elder brother of Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma, could not be contacted for comments.
The chief minister has also been away from Shillong for the last one week, and is scheduled to attend office on Tuesday.