SHILLONG, Nov 21: The regional parties of the state have slammed BJP national vice-president M. Chuba Ao for “insulting” the people of Meghalaya with his “begging bowl” comment and asked the BJP to leave the coalition gracefully if it is unhappy.
“If the BJP is not happy to be in this government, it should walk out of the coalition. We have nothing against them but saying that we go to the Centre with a begging bowl is an insult not only to the regional parties but to the people of the state as a whole,” United Democratic Party general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said Sunday.
“This is not the way to speak. We are not beggars,” he added.
Ao, also the BJP’s Meghalaya in charge, had said the regional parties of the state with a national outlook go to New Delhi with a begging bowl.
Mawthoh said the regional parties cannot avoid the Centre for policies, projects and implementation of various programmes.
“The Centre has to take cognisance (of a state’s requirements) and give. Calling us beggars is disrespectful,” he said.
He said a responsible leader like Ao should not utter such words. “Why point fingers at the regional parties when the BJP has two MLAs in the government?” he asked.
Mawthoh felt the BJP, as part of the coalition, should take the lead and bring funds to the state for addressing various issues and not leave it to the regional parties to do the job.
“Let the two BJP legislators lead the way,” he said, reminding the saffron party of collective responsibility in maintaining Centre-state relations.
The People’s Democratic Front also came down heavily on Ao. “His language is not acceptable,” party president Banteidor Lyngdoh said.
“One has to understand all the states in the country are entitled to funds from the Centre,” he said, adding it was wrong to equate seeking one’s due with begging.
He asserted that the regional parties play a major role in protecting the interests of the people and the national parties have the responsibility to help improve the economy and ensure sustainable development in Meghalaya, which is celebrating its 50th year of statehood.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress also condemned the statement made by BJP national vice-president Chuba Ao’s ‘begging bowl’ comment.
“The statement of BJP in-charge Meghalaya Chuba Ao saying that the state government has to beg from Delhi for funding needs to be condemned by all of us,” said Opposition Chief Whip, PT Sawkmie on Sunday.
He further said that the state government has to come up with a white paper on the allegations of the BJP that the central schemes have not been implemented properly by the State.
“The allegations leveled are very serious and needs to be clarified,” Sawkmie added.