‘Only new govt of non-MDA allies can punish the corrupt’

SHILLONG, Dec 9: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Friday said a serious investigation into the various cases of alleged corruption across government departments in the state will be a reality only if a new government, which does not have any of the parties of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), is installed after next year’s Assembly elections.
VPP spokesperson Dr Batskhem Myrboh said the MDA government, which has NPP, UDP, HSPDP, BJP, PDF and some independent MLAs, is facing numerous serious allegations of corruption.
“No party in the current government should be in the new government post-2023 elections. Only an alternative government can seriously investigate the corruption cases and punish the corrupt,” he said.
He insisted that the corruption charges need to be probed by an independent agency, such as the CBI. He said the culprits will continue to roam about freely if the state does not get an alternative government.
“…any probe by the present government will fail to bring out the truth. It will simply be an eyewash. Who will punish oneself? This fact has already been experienced by the public under this government where its various commissions/committees probing its own alleged irregularities/corruption/excesses were simply a waste of public money,” Dr Myrboh said.
“People should not forget that the real power lies in their hands and what they sow in 2023 will have repercussions for the next five years and even after that,” he said.
The VPP spokesperson appealed to people to exercise their democratic right judiciously and elect an alternative government.