SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has questioned BJP’s failure to bring the issues of alleged embezzlement of funds to the coordination committee among the constituents of the multi-party coalition.
He expressed reservation that matter was made public by the BJP before bringing it to the table internally, as the allegation of corruption levelled by BJP was still in the air since the saffron party has not filed any official complaint with the government on the matter.
Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Tynsong, however, welcomed the ‘dare’ of the state BJP to file RTIs for checking on the status of all the centrally sponsored schemes. Anybody was free to file RTI as it was an act passed by the Union Government and Meghalaya Government welcomes the filing of RTI which will be replied accordingly.
When asked about the demands for a CBI probe into the allegations, Tynsong refused to comment but maintained that the government was not aware of any corruption activities in the district councils. The Deputy Chief Minister conceded that the issue was very serious and it needed to be discussed.
He however asserted that government had no problem with BJP going to CBI or to any authority asking for an inquiry into the matter.
Stating that the district councils and state government were two different entities, the deputy chief minister also ridiculed the reports that relationship between BJP and NPP was turning sore over the matter. “We don’t have any misunderstanding just because one of our partners has raised an issue relating to the style and functioning of district councils,” he said while pointing out that the any party which is a partner in the MDA have every right to highlight issues and request the authority to look into their grievances.
The deputy chief minister also confirmed that the allegations so far have not been brought or communicated to the District Council Affairs department while adding that the matter was still in the air for the government to respond.