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SHILLONG United Democratic Party (UDP) which released its election manifesto has ridiculed the assurance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that it would resolve the ban on coal mining within 180 days. Speaking to media persons here after the release of the Election manifesto, UDP working President, Bindo M Lanong accused the saffron party of making political statement over the issue while terming their statement as mere lip service. Lanong informed that in the year 2011, the State Government of which UDP was a part had come up with a very comprehensive mining policy but now the fate of the mining policy is not known. Lanong, however, assured that the UDP, if voted to power, will come up with a mining policy which would not have any conflicts with any stakeholders. Earlier, Lanong also maintained that article 371 is applicable in Meghalaya even as he opined that politicians should not to touch upon a subject which they don’t understand. Responding to queries if the party will press for Inner Line Permit to address the concerns of influx, UDP leader, Paul Lyngoh said that influx was a multi-dimensional subject which needed multi-pronged approach, adding that the party in its manifesto has touched upon the demographic balance which the state needs to maintain and taking measures such as setting up of anti-infiltration directorate and fast track courts to deal with the menace. UDP president, Donkupar Roy on the other hand said that illegal immigration from Bangladesh was no longer a major problem due to erection fencing, but preventing migrants coming from other states to Meghalaya was not easy as Indians can move anywhere within the country. When asked about its alliance partners like GNC and HSPDP which has promised separate Garoland and Khasi-Jaintia state, Roy said that the party would support the creation of Garoland but it has not discussed anything about the Khasi-Jaintia state. Expressing confidence that UDP will install the next government in Meghalaya, Lanong lamented that the State Government since nine years have not been able to set up music and sports academy in Shillong even as he informed that around 88 acres of land which was earmarked for sports facilities in New Shillong Township have been allotted to other departments. Donkupar Roy also assured that the party would provide free education to children from BPL families till the graduation level besides it would create a corpus fund to ensure that salary of teachers was never delayed “We will try our best to see that state is free from corruption,” Roy said. ; |