MAWKYRWAT: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday said the government is looking for the preacher who misled people in Khasi-Jaintia Hills and influenced them to reject government schemes and voting.
Addressing a gathering at Photjaud Ranthong here, Tynsong said many families have stopped sending their children to school, rejected the 100-day MGNREGS work and refused to accept PDS benefits.
“Lastly, they (the followers of the preacher) reject social life and stay in the forest because they were misled by one preacher,” he added.
In the last Assembly elections in February, many people from Pynursla and Mawkynrew constituencies rejected voting because of the fear of Aadhaar.
There was a rumour that Aadhaar was associated with the devil.
“There were people who used woods to press the voting machine because they were scared to use their fingers. Many abstained from voting,” Tynsong said.
“The government now is searching for this preacher and if we find him we will put him in jail because he has misled people, especially young and innocent ones,” he added and appealed to the people of Photjaud Rangthong not to believe in superstitions but to come out and vote on August 23 for the Ranikor by-poll.
Tynsong also asked the Dorbar Shnong to take steps to stop such misinformation. He cited examples of families in Ri Bhoi who sold all belongings and went to stay in the forest.
The deputy chief minister also requested the people of Photjaud Rangthong village to support NPP and vote for MM Danggo as a mark of respect for his sacrifice to get civil sub-division.
“If you do not like Danggo also, please vote for NPP because we have Kitborlang Nongrem, the district council election candidate, from this area who understands your problem and will take forward your village,” he added.
Nongrem said the NPP is getting stronger by the day as leaders from UDP, PDF and BJP join the party.
