Returning officer show-causes NPP general secretary over ‘freebie’

SHILLONG, Feb 3: The returning officer of 18-West Shillong constituency has taken suo-motu cognizance of a video being circulated widely on social and other forms of media since Thursday regarding distribution of freebies to prospective voters in the constituency in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
The official wrote a letter to the NPP general secretary mentioning the video about a woman voter, Purity Phawa, who has “returned” a pressure cooker gifted by NPP candidate Mohendro Rapsang.
“In view of this, you are directed to show cause and submit your reply to the undersigned latest by 4pm on February 4, 2023,” the official said in the letter to the NPP general secretary.
Meanwhile, the section officer along with the observer from the Election department recorded the statement of the voter on Friday.
When contacted, she informed The Shillong Times that the officials wanted to know the date on which she was gifted the pressure cooker by the NPP candidate.
Phawa also returned the serving bowls gifted by UDP’s Paul Lyngdoh.
Rapsang had gifted the pressure cooker on January 28 and Lyngdoh a set of serving bowls on January 31.
Phawa said she decided to return the gifts to convey to the voters that they should not accept gifts or any other form of allurement from the candidates during elections. “I did not want the candidates to act as gift distributors to get my vote,” she added.
Phawa said the candidates might claim the gifts were belatedly for Christmas in order not to associate them with the elections.
“It is a clear attempt to influence and lure the voters in return for these gifts. We need a legislator who will debate and formulate laws in the Assembly. Therefore, I would urge my fellow citizens not to accept these gifts,” she said.
“What will I teach my children if I keep these gifts? We need to promote clean politics and elect a statesman who will focus on policies and programmes for the overall development of the state,” she asked. Phawa, however, appreciated the two candidates for taking back the gifts with humility.
“I hope the one elected between the two delivers for the people effectively,” she said.
Rapsang appreciated Phawa’s stand and said he was not among those who would distribute anything to the people surreptitiously. “I want to clarify I have not personally gone to distribute the pressure cookers,” he said.
“I am distributing pressure cookers openly sanctioned under an MLA scheme. I am not hiding anything,” he added.