VPP Marches on Meghalaya Secretariat to Press Grievance Agenda

Overview

• Supporters from across Meghalaya converged on the Secretariat in Shillong on Thursday in a disciplined march that the VPP said ended peacefully while demanding answers from the MDA government.
• The VPP says repeated written representations were ignored and has refused to submit fresh memorandums, arguing street mobilisation was needed to force official action on its 10-point list.
• The party highlighted specific complaints including the Lumpongdeng Island project, alleged irregularities in District Selection Committees and the Meghalaya Public Service Commission, and environmental and unemployment concerns.
• State officials held high-level security meetings with the DGP and district administrators and put police on alert ahead of the march while the Deputy Chief Minister urged the VPP to use Assembly channels or submit a memorandum instead.
• Political rivals criticised the protest for risking disruption to commuters, and the mobilisation raises pressure on the MDA government ahead of the forthcoming Assembly session where many of the issues could be formally debated.