Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Monday, 18 May asserted that the National People's Party (NPP)-led state government has consistently kept citizens at the heart of its development agenda, while accusing politically motivated groups of spreading misinformation and attempting to appropriate credit for the administration's achievements. Sangma made the remarks at a public event in Damas, North Garo Hills district.

Misinformation and Political Criticism

The Chief Minister alleged that certain groups were using social media platforms to circulate 'fake news' and mislead the public about government developmental initiatives. He charged that the very groups now criticising the administration had remained silent on long-pending issues that previous governments left unresolved — problems that, he claimed, the current dispensation has since addressed.

'We, as a government, have kept the people's interest at the core of our development and have been working in the best interest of our people. We are putting the rights of our indigenous people at the forefront,' Sangma said.

Garo Hills Autonomous District Council Reforms

Addressing recent controversies surrounding the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Sangma said the government acted on public sentiment by making a Scheduled Tribe certificate mandatory for candidates contesting GHADC elections — a reform that effectively bars non-tribals from standing. He noted that protests over this issue had persisted for years without resolution under earlier administrations.

'There were protests on this issue in the past. Previous governments did not resolve it, but the National People's Party-led government and the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council Executive Committee amended the laws to exclude non-tribals from contesting autonomous council elections,' he stated.

The Chief Minister also announced that a Delimitation Committee has been constituted and that preparations are underway to create a separate electoral roll for the GHADC.

Dialogue Over Force

Sangma emphasised that his government favours dialogue over suppression of dissent. 'We want to bring resolution to problems. We believe in listening and talking to our people. We never want to see bloodshed and always want to lead society with love and compassion,' he said.

Infrastructure and Welfare Highlights

The Chief Minister cited rapid progress in roads, healthcare, education, and rural livelihood programmes as evidence of the government's development record. He also highlighted the rollout of the Family Identity Card system, designed to streamline delivery of welfare benefits to eligible households.

Sangma further spotlighted flagship schemes including PRIME and Chief Minister-Elevate, both aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and generating local employment for farmers, women, and youth across Meghalaya.

With assembly elections on the horizon, the Damas address signals that the NPP government intends to defend its development record aggressively while drawing a sharp contrast with past administrations on tribal rights and governance.