Shillong, Feb. 11: The frequent assault charges involving mining minister Donkupar Massar have eroded the image of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) government.
Chief minister Donkupar Roy admitted today that if similar incidents occur in the future, the image of the MPA would be further marred.
Massar is facing assault charges for the fourth time. Yesterday, after the elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, the minister allegedly assaulted four villagers who did not vote in Nongshken constituency whe-re the minister’s wife, Grace Mary Kharpuri, is contesting as an Independent candidate.
Soon after the incident, cases were filed against the minister in Pynursla police station in East Khasi Hills.
Around 6.30pm, an angry mob torched three vehicles belonging to the minister and pelted stones at his official vehicle in which he was travelling.
The people burnt down the belongings in his office at Pynursla. The police later escorted the minister to Sadar police station in Shillong.
East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner B. Dhar, who is also the returning officer, said the minister was arrested and released on bail, as the cases against him were bailable.
To a question, the chief minister denied that he was soft on dealing with the minister. “The law will take its own course and we hope the minister will not repeat such incidents in the future,” he said.
Roy denied the allegation from certain quarters that it was because of political pressure that the police had to release the minister after his arrest. He also denied that the MPA was shielding the minister because of political compulsions as the coalition has only a wafer-thin majority.