Govt needs to self-introspect and address unemployment issue: Hek

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 8, 2022

BJP leader and former minister AL Hek on Friday asked the state government to self-introspect and address the growing unemployment issue in the state.

This came following a threat issued by a terror outfit formed by “unemployed youth”.

“It is the sole responsibility of the government to address all kinds of grievances, particularly unemployment issues,” Hek, who is also one of the advisers to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, told reporters.

He said “If we (have not gone) wrong somewhere, the judiciary will not step in” as he referred to the recent orders passed by the Meghalaya High Court.

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“Therefore, we need self-introspection (as a government) on this issue,” he added.

In its letter sent via email to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma recently, the “Lawei ba Phyrnai”, which has identified itself as a “terror outfit” formed by 37 well qualified and talented jobless youth, had threatened that “bombs will go off every single week starting 1st May 2022”.

Appealing to the group to choose the right path in solving the unemployment problem, Hek said, “One wrong cannot correct the other wrong, it is only the right path and only the right thoughts will correct the wrong things.”

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“Come to the right path. We can talk to the chief minister, we can talk to the government – if they have their grievances, if they think they have been discriminated definitely, the government will have to listen because they have every right to ask the government (for a solution),” he added.

Hek further stated that the issue does not confine only to the 37 unemployed youth. “There may be more than 37,000 youth who are unemployed in the state. Therefore, we have to listen to the 37,000 unemployed youth,” he said.

As there are not only 37 youth who are unemployed in the state, there may be more than 37,000 youths who are unemployed in the state

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Asked, Hek said that people cannot blame the BJP since they have not given the party full mandate to implement its manifesto.

“(However), we still have that (resolving unemployment) in our manifesto that when we are given full mandate by the people of Meghalaya, we will create as many opportunities not only for jobs for the educated but for the uneducated as well,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP leader has also welcomed the move of the government and the banned HNLC for having a peace dialogue.

“It is a very welcoming step taken by both the government and the HNLC friends. Government has appointed the interlocutor who will represent the government. So definitely the government is taking steps,” he said.