NPP campaigns for Shillong LS seat bypoll

Shillong: The ruling National People’s Party (NPP), which heads the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) govt-2.0, campaigned for the by-election to the Shillong Lok Sabha constituency, though the election schedule is yet to be announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).The parliamentary seat fell vacant due to the demise of the then sitting MP Ricky AJ Syngkon of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Feb 19 this year.NPP candidate DRL Nonglait, who is also president of the Khasi Authors Society (KAS), made the issue of inclusion of the Khasi language in the 8th Schedule to the Constitution his major election plank at public meetings.“We (KAS) are for inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India,” Nonglait said, addressing his first election meeting at Nongshillong, Eastern West Khasi Hills on Monday.“We have now been able to make Khasi an official language of Meghalaya. The movement to get a Hill State began in 1960 when the Assam government tried to impose Assamese in all districts under Assam, including the united Khasi-Jaintia Hills district. But after getting statehood, we forgot our language. Now we are able to use our own language. Now we can write letters to the DC office in Khasi, whether the DC is a non-tribal or Khasi,” he pointed out.“This is a milestone of success but it is not the final goal. The final goal is to go to Delhi,” he said, in reference to constitutional recognition of the Khasi language.Speaking at another election meeting in Chilliangraij, Jowai, Nonglait said, “These are some of the issues I wish to take up if the people of Khasi and Jaintia Hills elect me as their MP. Language policy, education policy and secularism are issues on which I have submitted memoranda to the government from time to time. These are the people’s core concerns”.Addressing an election meeting at Nongpoh, headquarters of Ri-Bhoi district recently, NPP national vice president and deputy chief minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said that Nonglait would be the “voice of the people of our Khasi-Jaintia land” if elected in the upcoming Shillong Lok Sabha by-election.