SHILLONG, June 21: The BJP and the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) on Monday dismissed the charge that the constituents of Meghalaya Democratic Alliance were maintaining silence on the alleged foodgrain “scam” unearthed by the Assam Police recently.
The BJP said all political parties in the coalition have raised the issue while the PDF said it has discussed the matter with Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma.
“We are not silent. All political parties, which are in this coalition, have raised the issue,” senior BJP leader and minister AL Hek said. “The Chief Minister and the Social Welfare Minister have both clarified it. What more?” he asked.
He said the state government has asked the Assam Police and the suppliers to first give the report, adding if the report is not satisfactory, the government will order a probe.
Soil and Water Conservation Minister and PDF leader, Hamlet Dohling said, “As soon as I read the media reports about rice being detected by the Assam Police, we held a meeting with the CM and discussed the issue.”
He said it was clarified by the CM as well as the Social Welfare Minister that the seized rice has nothing to do with the public distribution system or Covid relief. This rice is only for the programme of Social Welfare Department, he said.
Reacting to the Congress’s attack of the government on the issue, Dohling said, “The Opposition has every right to question the government but it is the duty of the government and the department concerned to clear the air for the benefit of the people of the state.”
According to reports, the Assam Police had seized a huge quantity of rice belonging to Food Corporation of India (FCI), Shillong from a private godown in Kamrup district.
As per details provided by the Assam Police, the Shillong division of FCI had sent the rice under a wheat-based nutrition programme and National Food Security Act, 2013 through the Directorate of Social Welfare, Meghalaya.
