From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI, July 24: Reports of minor children being rescued by the police from a ‘brothel’ owned by Meghalaya BJP vice president Bernard R Marak has created a sensation in the political circles here with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) questioning the high moral ground the national party takes in politics.
TMC MP Sushmita Dev ridiculed the ruling BJP in Meghalaya by saying that the party claimed to be different from others but has no consideration of morality even in electoral politics. “This case proves that BJP has no scruples when it comes to grabbing power,” she said.
Dev accused the BJP of backing a man with a dubious record to contest the district council elections. “He is someone who has not spared children and women. This shows that in BJP acts of moral turpitude is not a factor,” she added.
AICC general secretary in-charge of Meghalaya Manish Chatrath expressed his astonishment at such ‘inhuman and vulgar’ practices by the BJP leader. “The MDA government in Meghalaya where BJP is a ruling partner must answer to the public how they will protect themselves and their families in the state in such a situation,” he questioned.
BJP leaders in the national capital are also stunned at reports emerging from the state although the party’s state unit has issued a detailed clarification accusing the NPP-led MDA government of indulging in political vendetta. The party has even sought police protection for its top office bearer.
There is no official reaction from the national party which is busy preparing for the swearing-in ceremony of India’s 15th President Droupadi Murmu on Monday.
“But the central leadership is in touch with the party unit in Meghalaya on the issue and soon the truth will come out,” a BJP leader said on condition of anonymity.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Sunday termed the police raid on the farmhouse of state BJP vice president Bernard N Marak on Saturday as just the tip of the iceberg of what possibly could be laying beneath the dark underbelly of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance led by Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party.
“The incident has come to light at a time when the government is already heaped with allegations of corruption in all spheres of governance and to which it is yet to come clean. Therefore, this sudden raid at Marak’s farmhouse is but a cover up for all the misdeeds of the government for the past five years,” MPCC vice president Ronnie V Lyngdoh said in a statement.
Stating that it is hard to believe that the Home Minister and the police did not know about Marak’s activities, Lyngdoh questioned what the UDP had to say about this incident considering the Home department is held by one of its senior members. He also demanded answers from the chief minister. “After all, this was happening under the very nose of the CM. Marak’s resort is located not far from the CM’s residence and it should not come as a surprise if some of the arrested people are close associates of the NPP,” the MPCC leader said.
Lyngdoh demanded an independent investigation to unveil the truth behind such nefarious activities happening in the state.
“All the arrested persons must be sent to judicial custody so that more incriminating information can be obtained from them without tampering any evidence,” he said.
The MPCC vice president also recalled the case of sexual assault of a minor girl from the same place –Rimpu Bagan – in February after the family members of the victim had filed a police case.
“Thus, without wasting any time, the Home minister must answer as to why it took so long for police to raid this place. Was there pressure from the BJP or was there a tacit understanding between Marak and the top Garo leaders in the NPP,” he questioned.