In a sign betraying its reluctance to take action against Meghalaya Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai for “assaulting and threatening to kill” Education Minister Manas Chaudhuri, the ruling MPA Government suddenly cancelled the coordination committee meeting on Monday called to take a decision on the issue. Shullai being an NCP legislator, the largest group in the MPA coalition, is widely perceived as the reason behind the ruling dispensation’s indecision. MPA sources said, “Any action against Shullai by Chief Minister Donkupar Roy may rankle the NCP which has 15 legislators out of the 32 in the MPA Government.” Chaudhari’s status as an Independent has led to his repeated demand, that the government act and uphold the “rule of law”, falling on deaf ears. Even as Chaudhuri has filed an FIR against Shullai and has gone on record to say that the government must protect his “dignity as minister”, CM Donkupar Roy is maintaining a studied silence on the issue.
