SHILLONG: Crying foul over the misappropriation of Rs 28 crores by the CEM of Khasi Hill Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the chairman of People’s Democratic Front (PDF), PN Syiem, the MDC and president of PDF women’s wing, Grace Mary Kharpuri demanded a CBI inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of fund.
Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Kharpuri said, “Why spend Rs 28 crores on council assets? It will not generate revenue and Rs 28 crores is a big amount. In the near future there will be misuse of money and till date the issue of professional tax misappropriation is not known.”
“The Rs 28 crores has created chaos in the District Council, as even the Executive Members (EMs) were not aware of the allotment of the Rs 28 crores for Council assets,” she said.
She asserted the matter of Rs 28 crore came to light after the members of UDP and HSPDP rushed to the CEM to ask from him about the matter.
“The CEM alone knows about the Rs 28 crores. The HSPDP and UDP were the ones who started it,” Kharpuri said.
Speaking on her being dropped from the post of EM, she showed a message from the CEM asking her to resign from the post of EM.
She termed it as a “threatening message” from Syiem, which reads, “Just tell me, you will resign or shall I drop?”
“Such a message has hurt the sentiments of the people and the members of the zonal committee, that a leader would stoop so low to send such a message,” she said.
She added when the portfolio of Forest Department was taken away from her, the CEM did not discuss with her about it.
She maintained that she voiced about the plantation of rubber at Aradonga, West Khasi Hills during the Executive Committee meeting but no attention was paid to her plea.
Hinting on the bickering in the party, Kharpuri said, “The PDF does not have any member who has a voice. There was no such consultation.”
“Where will the party go? There should be seriousness as the MDC and MP elections are near,” she added
She added the party leaders in the PDF should take note of the matter as according to her, Syiem joined the PDF after the 11 MDCs.
“Leaders of the party are very silent. It seems it is a one-man show,” Kharpuri remarked.