Shillong, Jan 2: In response to the death threat issued by the outlawed militant outfit Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), NPP’s Sohra MLA Gavin Mylliem has stated that holding him accountable for the downfall of MCCL is “baseless”. He said it is “ludicrous” to consider him alone in the decision to permanently shut down the Cement Factory in Sohra.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, MLA Gavin said, “The recent press release by the banned Militant outfit HNLC against me as a public representative of Sohra and holding me accountable for the downfall of MCCL and for the Government’s talk to close down MCCL and implement VRS for all the existing employees is considered totally baseless”.
The MLA added that every citizen is aware that any decision taken by the Government is a collective decision and not a decision taken by an individual or any representative. “It is ludicrous that the HNLC would consider that I, as an individual alone should be held responsible for the decision taken by the Government,” he said.
Replying on the other demand of resignation by the militant outfit, Gavin said he has been elected by the people of 28-Sohra Constituency since 2018 onwards, and that he shall serve the people of his constituency as per law.
“The people of my constituency are fully aware that I have never backed down in trying to serve my people with utmost sincerity and diligence, something which is reflected in the development which has taken place in my constituency as a whole since I have taken over as the MLA,” said Gavin.
He further clarified that some people are aware that the MCCL Company, and its main area of operation, is located within the Shella Constituency, and not within the Sohra Constituency, as presumed by many.
“For most, this fact would be ample reason for the Sohra MLA not to be too concerned with matters of the MCCL, and to leave things totally to the MLA Shella,” he said.
Nonetheless, as the representative, MLA Gavin said he has raised concerns over the MCCL issue on the floor of the Assembly many a times as it also the concern of many individuals be it from his constituency or not.
Gavin further commented on the death threat stating that blaming him is baseless as he only got elected after 2018, by which time, the damage had already been done.
“If any questions are to be asked, and if any responsibility is to be fixed, then they should be directed against the persons who had been functioning in responsible capacities from 2007 onwards when the plant’s functioning started to deteriorate,” argued the Sohra legislator.
Calling the threat by the HNLC as misleading, the MLA said this is the first time the banned outfit has publicly threatened any sitting MLA which also gives an impression that “the threat is the result of some political game by a vested interest”.
“I therefore presume that the misleading call by the HNLC has been based mainly on misinformation and lack of knowledge of the facts of the case, and I hope that the HNLC would abstain from making such baseless statements henceforth,” he said.
