UDP questions police action against Deborah
SHILLONG: UDP working president Bindo Mathew Lanong on Wednesday termed the Deborah charge sheet episode as a political move, and added that there was a lot of politicization in the present Congress-led Government in the State.
“It is interesting to see that this charge sheet against a Minister in the Government has come at a time when there is a demand for change of leadership in the State,” Lanong said, adding that it was obvious that Deborah was not on the side of the Chief Minister.
He also expressed surprise over the overzealous efforts of the police in filing the charge sheet against the Social Welfare Minister.
Lanong recalled that the ANVC (B) had made a public statement claiming that Sangma has taken their help during the political turmoil in the State.
“ANVC-B had even claimed that they were instrumental in re-installing Sangma as the Chief Minister,” the UDP working president said.
He lamented that nothing has been done to investigate if the claim of the militant group was true.
“Why target one and leave aside the other when the same charge has been made against the Chief Minister by a militant outfit. In case of others why the issue was being buried under the carpet?” he questioned.
Lanong also came down heavily on the State Government for its inaction against the accused of the infamous ‘Education Scam’ in the State.
He also recalled that during the same period when the Education Scam in the State was exposed, former Haryana Chief Minister Omprakash Chautala had also been embroiled in a similar controversy and had later been proved guilty of illegally recruiting 3,206 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in that State in 2000.
“The former Haryana Chief Minister is now behind the bar. But the Meghalaya Government is yet to take any action against the main accused in the Education Scam,” the UDP working president said.
Deborah charge sheet a political ploy: NPP
NPP president W.R. Kharlukhi on Wednesday termed the charge sheet against Social Welfare Minister Deborah Ch. Marak and Tennydard Marak as a ‘politically motivated’ move.
He also reiterated for a CBI or NIA inquiry into the ongoing events and also called for a detailed probe into the politician-militant nexus.
“We all know that Deborah Marak was in the dissident group whereas Tennydard Marak had questioned the ST status of the Chief Minister. If the Chief Minister is really sincere, he should call for a CBI or NIA inquiry into the matter,” Kharlukhi stated, while adding that the NPP would meet soon to discuss the issue.
Kharlukhi also lamented that the accused in the Education Scam in the State had been allowed to go scot free.
HSPDP wants probe into politico-militant nexus
The HSPDP on Wednesday asked the State Government to order an independent probe into the politico-militant nexus in the State.
“We strongly suspect a larger conspiracy which needs to be unearthed. We need to expose those politicians who are using militants for their own political gain,” HSPDP vice president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.
Basaiawmoit also expressed surprise that Social Welfare Minister Deborah Marak was yet to be arrested. “If it was a common man, he would have been immediately book under the MPDA,” he said, adding that he would raise the issue during the winter session of the Assembly.