SHILLONG: Taking potshots at the BJP over its assurance of resolving the contentious issue of the NGT ban on coal mining in the state within a bafflingly short period of 180 days, the United Democratic Party (UDP), which released its election manifesto on Monday, has accused the saffron party of indulging in cheap electoral gimmicks.
Speaking to the media after the release of the manifesto here on Monday, UDP working president Bindo M Lanong said the BJP’s assurance was mere lip service paid to the people of poll-bound Meghalaya.
Lanong informed that in 2011 the state government, of which the UDP was then a part, had come up with a comprehensive mining policy; however, its fate today is not known.
The UDP working president, however, assured that the party, if voted to power, would come up with a mining policy that would be geared towards minimising conflicts with stakeholders. In a different context, Lanong maintained that Article 371 was applicable in Meghalaya even as he opined that politicians were loath to touch a subject they don’t understand.
Responding to queries as to whether the UDP would press for the Inner Line Permit to address the problem of influx, Lanong said party leader Paul Lyngdoh has gone on record saying that influx was a multi-dimensional subject which called for a multi-pronged approach, adding that the UDP in its manifesto has touched upon the need for demographic balance, which the state needs to maintain, and highlighted the need to take certain measures such as setting up of an anti-infiltration directorate and fast track courts to deal with the menace.
UDP president Donkupar Roy, on the other hand, said illegal immigration from Bangladesh was not a major problem due to fencing but preventing migrants coming from other states is not easy as Indians can move freely around the country.
Asked about the UDP’s alliance partners, GNC and HSPDP, which have promised separate a Garoland and Khasi-Jaintia state, Roy said the party would support the creation of Garoland but is yet to take a stand on a separate Khasi-Jaintia state.
Expressing confidence that the UDP will come to power in the state, Lanong lamented that since the last 9 years the state government has not been able to set up the music and sports academy in Shillong although around 88 acres of land which had been earmarked for developing sports facilities in New Shillong Township have been subsequently allotted to other departments.
Roy assured that the party would provide free education to children hailing from BPL families till the graduation level besides creating a corpus of funds to ensure that the salaries of teachers are not delayed.
“We will try our best to rid the state of the taint of corruption,” Roy added.
