TURA, March 23: The blame game for the financial mess in the GHADC continues unabated as electioneering takes off for the Council polls slated for April 12 with the latest salvo being fired by NPP president and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who lashed out at the Opposition Congress and its previous Executive Committee for leaving the district council in acute financial crisis by illegally appointing hundreds of employees that drained the coffers of the oldest autonomous institution in the Garo Hills.
The chief minister, on Tuesday, launched the official campaign of NPP from the time-tested political venue of his late father, PA Sangma, in Adokgre village, North Garo Hills — nicknamed Chenanggre or the land of victory. The place assumes immense importance for the family of PA Sangma as it has always been the launch pad for every successive election campaign.
“Today, the Congress is pointing fingers at the NPP that it cannot run the GHADC nor pay salaries to the employees. But everyone knows who is to blame. From a number of about 1,000 staff, the GHADC employees’ list rose to over 2,000 because the then Congress EC in GHADC made over a thousand illegal appointments between 2015 and 2016. The salary bill which stood at around Rs 3 crore suddenly rose to Rs 6 crore. How could the district council sustain itself? These illegal appointments totally drained the council treasury and its negative impact remains to this day,” said the chief minister during his campaign rally at Adokgre.
He also took a swipe at former Congress MLA and ex-MDC, Cherak W Momin, currently the Congress candidate from Kharkutta constituency, questioning him about his role when he was part of the GHADC as an MDC.
“The Congress candidate is now speaking about reforms since elections have arrived. What was he doing when he was the MDC and simultaneously an MLA and parliamentary secretary in the state government? Voters must ask him and every other candidate for their answers,” demanded the chief minister.
Presenting a comparison between the then Congress EC and the current NPP-led EC in the district council, Conrad told the gathering that while the Congress encouraged illegal appointments, it was only after the NPP took the reins of the GHADC that ‘positive’ concrete steps have begun to streamline it.
“Previously, employees used to be given cash directly in their hand during salary disbursement. But we have stopped that and transformed the system so now all employees get their pay directly into their account. This has ended misappropriation,” says the chief minister.
Denying accusations about turning a blind eye to the plight of the district council and its unpaid employees, the chief minister said that in the current financial year, the state government had released Rs 25 crore as additional funds to help tide over the financial crisis.
“The money was released by my government solely to help pay salaries of the employees and it was given in advance (credit) because we wanted to help the GHADC, which was facing a severe financial crisis. After all, both GHADC and the state administration are being run by our NPP alliance,” said Conrad Sangma.
The chief minister also dismissed talk of a ‘resurgent’ Congress in the GHADC and believes the numbers game remains with the NPP.
“Mark my words! Congress will not get the numbers. Also, people in Garo Hills know that a Congress-led EC in GHADC will be handicapped and unable to function without the help of the state and the central government, in which the Congress is nowhere to be found,” cautioned the chief minister.
Protest rally
On the other hand, various organisations from North Garo Hills on Tuesday organised a rally at Resubelpara in protest against non-tribal participation in the upcoming elections.
Earlier, during the day, a public meeting was also organised at the Resubelpara Mini Stadium during which public leaders denounced the inclusion of non-tribals in the affairs of the autonomous body, pointing out that the Council is solely for the Garos.
Several speakers also condemned the allotment of party tickets to non-tribals by certain political parties, while demanding that new laws be framed to exclude them from the Council affairs.
Following the meeting, members of organisations and the general public took out a procession holding banners and posters.
Tuesday’s protest also witnessed the participation of Nokmas, Sordars, local leaders and school students.
Meanwhile, organisations from West Garo Hills have also announced a similar rally scheduled for April 7 in Tura.
NPP member expelled
The president of the National People’s Youth Front (NPYF), Chokpot unit, Sengbat T Sangma, has been removed from his post as well as from the primary membership of the NPP. The expulsion notice served to Sangma by NPYF state working president, Dabo Marak, informed that the action has been taken against him for his indulgence in anti-party activities on social media and public gatherings.
