Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Charles Pyngrope has called for a thorough investigation into alleged illegal checkpoints and money collection on highways in Meghalaya, questioning why the practice was allowed to continue for years despite repeated complaints.
Speaking on the issue, Pyngrope asserted that vehicles should not be obstructed on national highways for unauthorised collection of money or document checking. He demanded the removal of such checkpoints and questioned the rationale behind their continued existence.
“You are not allowed to stop any vehicle travelling on a national highway. There cannot be any obstruction, whether it is collection of money or checking documents. It should not be allowed,” Pyngrope said.
Referring to his travels on highways up to West Bengal, he questioned why similar checkpoints and alleged illegal collections were being reported in Meghalaya, insisting that they must be removed.
The TMC leader also pointed out that the issue concerning the Mawryngkneng, Thangshalai and Mawphlang areas was not new. He said the matter had been raised by his late son, who represented Mawryngkneng as an MLA from 2013 onwards, and that he himself had subsequently raised the issue on the floor of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Questioning the response of the authorities, Pyngrope said the focus should not be limited to suspending officials but should extend to identifying those responsible for allowing the alleged practice to continue.
“If you go into those tracks, then there should have been SPs suspended right from 2013!” he remarked.
Welcoming the recent developments, he nevertheless maintained that suspensions alone would not address the root cause of the problem.