SHILLONG/ JOWAI: Promises float in the air in election season, so why should Amit Shah be left behind? The BJP president, in a bid to woo voters, has promised to turn Meghalaya into a model state absolutely free of corruption in a meagre span of 5 years if the BJP comes to power after the Assembly polls slated on February 27.
Addressing a BJP rally at Malki ground on Friday, Shah continued his tirade against the Congress-led state government saying: “Meghalaya has seen scams after scams in the last 10 years under the Mukul Sangma government”.
Asserting that there were scams in recruitment of teachers and police personnel, Shah alleged that the state government has made a record in being embroiled in the most number of corruption cases.
“There is 70 per cent shortage of doctors at rural health centres besides 68 per cent shortage of mathematics and science teachers and even tourism is not picking up,” he said while claiming in the same breath that number of young boys and girls committing suicide in the state has gone up by 45 per cent whereas crimes against women and children in the state have gone up by 30 per cent under the Mukul government’s watch.
Furthermore, he alleged that there was large-scale corruption in the public distribution system and even sugar was being sent out of the state.
“Coal mining has come to a standstill affecting the livelihood of thousands of families. Tourism activities have gone down. No new investments came to the state. No new jobs were created,” he deplored.
The BJP’s acceptance is increasing in the North-Eastern states, Shah said while issuing a clarion call to chuck out the Mukul government in Meghalaya.
Referring to a recent press statement issued by Mukul who asked the Centre to furnish an account of its contribution to Meghalaya, Shah asseverated that the BJP has achieved in the last four years what the Congress could not in 45 years in power.
Trotting out vital figures, Shah said Meghalaya was allotted Rs 5,817 crore under the 13th Finance Commission by the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre whereas the BJP-led NDA government has allotted Rs 25,400 crore to Meghalaya under the 14th Finance Commission.
“Despite this huge increase, do you see development in Meghalaya? Just take a look at the houses of Congress leaders. Earlier they had ordinary homes; now they live in mansions and own many vehicles,” he said.
Producing details of the schemes allotted to Meghalaya, he said that Rs 463 crore was allotted under the MUDRA scheme whereas Rs 600 crore has been given under the UDAY scheme.
Other allotments include Rs 4 crore under Swachh Bharat, Rs 46 crore for urban transportation, Rs 80 crore for Atal health initiative, Rs 100 crore for tourism and an additional Rs 90 crore for Mendipathar- Tura road, Rs 20 crore for Mankachar-Mahendraganj road project in Garo Hills, Rs 67 crore for the Jowai road, Rs 7.5 crore for the JN sports Complex, Rs 43 crore for Sonapur road, and another Rs 43 crore for Agia-Nangalbibra.
Asking people to join hands with the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah lamented that traffic congestion is a pressing problem in the city. He also said that the saffron party will work to connect every village in the state with roads besides making Meghalaya the biggest tourism draw in the country.
He further attacked the Congress government for its poor development record. “Road communication is very poor in the state despite the fact that a huge amount of money was sanctioned by the Modi government,” Shah said.
The BJP chief’s meeting was attended by contesting candidates Justine Dkhar from Khliehriat and Lakhon Biam from Raliang among others.
Many supporters from all the seven constituencies in Jowai attended the rally.
