SHILLONG: Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, who recently took over the responsibility of District Council Affairs, is in no mood to oblige the coalition partner BJP for a CBI probe into the allegations of funds embezzlement in GHADC.
He told this reporter here on Monday that though the allegations of corruption were there, District Councils were autonomous bodies which do not fall under the ambit of the state government.
Rymbui’s stand was that since the funds received by the Councils from the Centre were being audited and supervised normally, he declined to entertain a CBI probe.
He added that though people and parities may demand several things but government has to go by the rules.
Following the several allegations of corruption levelled against the two Autonomous District Councils by BJP, the state government under pressure had asked the Director Local Fund Audit (DLFA) to conduct audit.
When asked about BJP which still demands for a CBI probe, he said that “if the government finds anything wrong in the inquiry to be done Director Local Fund Audit, the government will see what is to be done in this regard”.
He further said, “As of now the decision to ask the Director of the Local Fund Audit (DLFA) to conduct a proper audit stands.”
It was on September 8, when the BJP, alliance partner of the MDA government, had levelled serious corruption charges against the NPP-led Executive Committee alleging misuse of funds amounting to over Rs 264 crore.
The party has also lodged a complaint with CBI over the alleged corruption and CBI is scrutinising the documents.
Cabinet to take call on GHADC term extension
The state Cabinet will meet on October 12 to take a final call in regard to either extending the term of the executive committee or imposing administrator’s rule in Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
Informing this, District Council Affairs Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui said he alone cannot take a decision in matters related to district councils and that the Cabinet would meet on October 12 to take necessary action.
Stating that the process of holding elections amid the COVID situation is tough, Rymbui said the only two options available before the government was to either extend the term of GHADC or put the house under administrator’s rule.
The term of the present EC in GHADC will come to an end this month.
The state BJP, an ally in the MDA government, has vehemently opposed extension of the term of GHADC and demanded an election on time instead.
The party leaders are also likely to meet the Meghalaya Governor in this regard.
Earlier, deputy chief minister, Prestone Tynsong too said that a Cabinet meeting would be held shortly where the government would ultimately decide on the pressing matters of GHADC.
Asked about the BJP’s plan to move the Governor on the matter, Tynsong said, “We will also go to the Governor as the decision of the state Cabinet will be sent to the Governor for his assent.”