SHILLONG: In a riposte to district council affairs minister Lahkmen Rymbui turning down a CBI probe into the alleged misuse of funds in GHADC, the state BJP on Tuesday said the state has no authority to allow or oppose an investigation by the central agency where central funds are involved.
“State is not the authority of autonomous district councils (ADCs) and should know its limits. So the question of the state granting permission for a CBI inquiry in GHADC on misuse of central funds is illogical,” state BJP vice-president, Bernard N Marak, said in a statement.
“There is a strong ground for the CBI to come in. Moreover, GHADC is not under the state government,” Marak said.
Meghalaya, he said, is a general state functioning in the Sixth Schedule areas of the hill tribes where the state has no control over tribal affairs.
“The state government has a limited role in the Sixth Schedule areas as the land does not belong to the state, and it is the council which controls the land matters, which fall under the provision of the Sixth Schedule to the Indian Constitution. State cannot function above the provisions of the Constitution, so how can the state oppose a CBI inquiry,” Marak asked.
The state BJP questioned whether the director of Local Fund Audit (DLFA) could actually audit the central funds which have been allegedly misused.
“In Garo Hills, there is a big conspiracy to cripple the BJP leaders from revealing more corruption in the state. BJP leaders are filing RTIs after RTIs to track down implementation of BJP-sponsored central schemes in the state and that has moved most of the leaders to adopt unlawful steps,” he alleged.
Marak further alleged that people involved in corruption were so powerful that they would hire goons to threaten and terrorise BJP leaders in Garo Hills.
He said that BJP leaders have filed FIRs against some of these political goons but since money could buy anything, unemployed youths fall prey.
“These goons are trying to ignite communal conflict between the smaller tribes and the Garos. They kidnap, assault and extort but police are helpless as political leaders are protecting them,” Marak alleged.
“Such a trend will further destroy Garo Hills, especially youths. BJP will not stop fighting corruption no matter how hard it is,” he asserted.