Cong accuses PM Modi for not sacking Meghalaya Guv for his "anti-national" message

The Opposition Congress on Friday boycotted the address of governor Tathagata Roy in the Meghalaya assembly in protest against his tweet backing the boycott of “everything Kashmiri” after the Pulwama attack. The Congress leaders also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not sacking Roy for his "anti-national" message.

"With a heavy heart, we would like to share our agony and anger in respect of the narrative that was generated by the honourable Governor Roy. He tweeted saying that all Kashmiri goods should be boycotted, people should not visit Kashmir. Does it augur well for the nation when a person who is holding a constitutional post not less than a governor of a state can engage in this kind of message which is capable of creating a rift among the citizens?”," the leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma told the media.

After the February 14 attack that killed 40 CRPF jawans, Roy had tweeted: “An appeal from a retired colonel of the Indian Army: Don’t visit Kashmir, don’t go to Amarnath for the next two years. Don’t buy articles from Kashmir emporia or Kashmiri tradesman who come every winter. Boycott everything Kashmiri. I am inclined to agree.” "We have seen what happened immediately after the incident. Lots of lynching incidents took place across the nation against Kashmiris and that was the time when our Governor of Meghalaya tweeted this," he added Noting that during a terror attack, the nation's fight is against terrorism and not against a community or people.

"If such a terrorist attack takes place in the northeast, will people like the Governor ask everyone to boycott the region?. These are the kind of people who are dividing the nation and trying to give fodder to anti-national forces," he further stated. "The Prime Minister should have pulled up the Governor and he (Roy) should have been removed from the office in the nation's best interest and must send out a strong message that the youth are against terrorism," Sangma said. 

(With inputs from agencies.)