Nothing to cheer about on MDA’s first anniv

SHILLONG: There is nothing much to cheer about as the MDA completes one year in office on Wednesday.
While the MDA comprising NPP, UDP, HSPDP, PDF, BJP and Independents is yet to have a common minimum programme, there are many challenges ahead for the coalition in terms of resolving the coal mining issue, creating job opportunities, improving education, healthcare and human resources development.
When contacted, NPP leader and state party president WR Kharlukhi said though the chief minister is the right person to tell about the achievements of the MDA, there are varied challenges for the government.
He admitted that job creation is the need of the hour along with improvement in the field of education and healthcare. “I will be happy if unemployed youths get jobs,” he said.
He added that the MDA government will bring out a report card on the anniversary day.
Home Minister James Sangma refused to comment on the achievement of the MDA government as he said the chief minister “is the right person to speak on the matter”.
The MDA had to confront serious law and order problems on the issue of Harijan Colony, assault on activists who tried to expose illegal coal mining, assault on civilians at Langpih and others.
For the last one year, there was not a single chief ministerial level meeting held to address the issue of border dispute.
Sources said though inherited from the previous Congress-led government, the state’s financial crisis has grown bigger without any pro-active steps on the part of the government to arrest the trend.
According to sources, there is no check on effecting political appointments and the MDA government intended only to justify the move by comparing it with the previous Congress-led government which, according to the MDA, had more number of political appointees.
‘CM talks big like Modi’
The Opposition Congress has targeted the chief minister for “talking big and not doing anything on the ground”.
The MDA is one year old but the leadership in the present government is weak, Congress spokesperson and legislator Zenith Sangma said.
“The chief minister talks nicely, but practically, hardly anything is seen. He is like Narendra Modi… talking big and doing nothing,” he added.
According to Zenith, there is no new initiative taken up by the present government except the programmes and policies launched by the previous Congress led government.
He also pointed out that many important programmes, especially in sports and social welfare departments, which became popular were discontinued by the present government. “Rather, the government should have improved upon these initiatives,” he said.
Commenting on the law and order situation, Zenith said during the last part of the previous Congress-led government, militancy was controlled and many development programmes were initiated.
The present government is not being able to carry forward these initiatives and they do not even have a common minimum programme, he said.
The Congress leader said disruption to law and order following the Harijan Colony issue was a matter of concern. “Moreover, looking at the weakness of the government, some groups have resorted to violence and created law and order problem. There are also cases of extortion in Garo Hills,” he said.
According to Zenith, the present government is “a confused lot” and he deplored that despite making promises to people that within 180 days, the coal mining issue would be solved, the government has not done anything in this regard within one year.
He said people supported NPP over the promise on coal but they were fooled.
Change of name
According to Zenith, the MDA government is not looking at the real issues confronting the people and the state.
Zenith, who was the sports minister in the previous Congress-led government, pointed out that it was illogical to change the name of Dikki Bandi stadium in Tura to PA Sangma stadium.
Zenith said earlier, the stadium was known as MP stadium without getting approval from the GAD. “When I was the sports minister, I suggested the need to officially notify the stadium as Dikki Bandi but the MDA government changed it to PA Sangma stadium,” he said.
The MDA is expert in taking credit by renaming places and buildings, he added.
According to Zenith, the new government should not have changed the name of the stadium. “There are a lot of new projects which can be named after PA Sangma and why change the name of the stadium which has officially been notified,” Zenith said.
He added that the MDA should have respected the decision of the previous government.
Zenith, however, said he accepted the decision of the MDA to name the Araimile-Dakopgre -Walbakgre road as PA Sangma road.
CAB issue
He said Conrad hijacked the CAB issue and projected himself as the hero of the North East without realising that NPP does not have any role to play in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
“Out of 250 members in Rajya Sabha, there are only 85 votes for BJP. So it is a fact that the CAB cannot be taken up in Rajya Sabha,” Zenith added.
The Congress leader said Conrad took a Cabinet delegation to meet the Prime Minister who, however, did not give any appointment. “The trip to Delhi resulted in waste of public money,” he added.