Meghalaya MP and former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma today sought Centre's intervention in containing law and order situation in the Garo Hills region after several central banks have threatened to close down their shops in the region due to a series of kidnapping of their officials and staffs.
"Keeping in mind the financial situation and the security of the employees of SBI in mind, I would like to urge you to intervene and take appropriate measures," P A Sangma said in a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Narrating the series of kidnapping and extortion of bank officials and staff, Sangma said, "This has led to anger as well as created fear crisis among the employees of the State Bank."
One of the staff of the SBI was kidnapped for ransom on August 5 and his whereabouts is yet to be ascertained. The incident followed the kidnapping of a branch manager of the same bank in Ampati area who was later rescued by the security forces.
According to Sangma, the Bank has also threatened to close down its operations in sensitive locations in the Garo Hills keeping in mind the safety of its employees.
"The state bank employees' concerns are genuine and their safety being very critical, the closure of branches in the region will have an adverse effect on the economy of the region. Most government schemes, like the BRGF, TCS, SSA, MGNREGS, IAY will be majorly affected as all transactions are done through the banks," he said in another letter shot to Finance Minister Arun Jaitly.
The senior MP also blamed the state government for failing to utilize the Centre's para military forces which he said has resulted in the situation getting from bad to worse.
Sangma however, expressed strong opposition to the demand in some quarters to declare the region as disturbed area.
"We strongly feel that the Central Government should intervene in whatever way it feels appropriate except declaring the region as disturbed and imposing AFSPA or bringing in the Army.
