Chief of coal miners’ body joins BJP for NGT relief

JOWAI: The president of the Jaintia Coal Dealers’ and Miners’ Association who was defeated in the last Assembly election from UDP joined BJP on Friday.
Balios Swer was inducted into the party by BJP State President Shibun Lyngdoh.
“Why have I joined the party? Because I am confident that only BJP will lift the NGT ban on coal mining. In the past three-and-a-half years, the Congress government in the state has failed to comply with the NGT order, particularly in connection with the State Mining Plan,” he said.
Besides Swer, 32 others from different villages in Sutnga-Saipung constituency also joined the party.
Swer denounced the state government for proposing mining by the Meghalaya Mineral Development Corporation (MMDC), “which will badly affect the land tenure system in the Khasi-Pnar Society as people will have no more rights over their landed property”.
The new BJP member also brought up the issue of under-development in border villages and listed the missing facilities, like roads, healthcare and electricity.
He also blamed the Congress for lack of road connectivity to various villages under Saipung C&RD Block.
“To construct the roads in the border villages of Saipung and Narpuh, we need not less than Rs 2,000 crore. The State will never get such a huge amount unless the Centre is taking keen interest. BJP under the leadership of Modiji will definitely help us solve these problems,” he said.
The state BJP president, while urging voters to bring BJP to power in Meghalaya, said, “BJP is not a religious party. It doesn’t belong to the Hindus as alleged but it is the party of the people. We are for the people, then for the party and lastly for ourselves.”