SHILLONG, Feb 16: TMC on Thursday urged the people to vote to reject and punish the MDA government for its corrupt practices even as the party committed that if voted to power, the woman member of every household and unemployed youth will start receiving Rs 1,000 per month right from April 2.
“This is not just a vote to elect. It is a vote to reject, protest, and punish the culprits. It is a vote to hold perpetrators to the book for selling their spines to those sitting in Delhi and for playing with people’s love and faith,” said TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee as he urged the people of the state to teach them a lesson on February 27.
The TMC leader addressed two massive rallies in Ampati and Williamnagar on Thursday.
Reiterating his pledge and commitment to the state, Banerjee also assured that if voted to power, the Meghalaya TMC would ensure that their flagship initiatives – WE Card and MYE Card Scheme – are implemented within the first month of coming to power.
“The results will be declared on March 2 and it is my commitment that within April 2, the woman member of every household will get Rs 1,000 per month (Rs 12,000 annually)….I give my word that within one month of forming the government, the unemployed youth will receive Rs 1,000 per month in their bank accounts (Rs 12,000 annually),” he promised, amid thundering applauses from the crowd.
He also said that the registration numbers for MYE Card Scheme show that the Conrad Sangma-led MDA government has completely failed in creating job opportunities for the youth in the state. “Conrad Sangma claims that Meghalaya has the lowest unemployment rate. But when TMC launched Meghalaya TMC’s MYE card scheme, over four lakh unemployed youth registered for it. That is a testament to the fact that unemployment is highest in the state and the youth are being deprived of their rights,” he said, tearing into the alleged false claims made by the NPP.
Slamming the Conrad Sangma-led MDA government for cowering down to the people in Delhi and Guwahati fearing action from central investigative agencies, Abhishek said, “Would Conrad Sangma have the courage and spine to say that Meghalaya will be ruled by Meghalaya? The moment he does this, ED and CBI will send him a notice the very next day. They have sent me dozens of notices but that won’t stop Trinamool Congress from fighting for people.”
Addressing the crowd in Williamnagar, Abhishek shared how TMC is the only party that raised Meghalaya’s issues and demands in the Parliament.
“In the last year, TMC has protested both inside and outside the Parliament multiple times demanding the inclusion of Garo and Khasi languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. And we will continue the fight till the end,” he said,
Dismissing the allegations raised by other parties against Meghalaya TMC’s vision, the TMC leader said, “Few political leaders are claiming that these schemes are freebies. When the CM draws a salary or their telephone, electricity, and water charges are all made free, those are not considered freebies. But when TMC wants to give something to common people and stand for their rights, NPP-BJP calls those pledges freebies.”
Highlighting the poor infrastructure in the state along with the lack of adequate education and employment opportunities, Abhishek said, “The CM has surrendered to BJP leaders in Delhi and Guwahati. He cannot even put a 10W bulb on the roads [of his constituency] and is running a remote-controlled government…A government must be super-incompetent for failing to implement the schemes and projects which were announced and started by Dr. Mukul Sangma when he was the chief minister.”
Opposition leader Mukul Sangma also emphasised how projects remained incomplete during the MDA government’s tenure.
“We had initiated one medical college but that has seen no progress. Same is the case with a technical institute, an engineering college, and an architecture college,” said Mukul.
Assuring that Meghalaya TMC will make its best efforts to ensure a medical college in every district, the National General Secretary said, “Since there are 12 districts in Meghalaya, there should be at least 12 medical colleges in the state. Currently, there is none. Why couldn’t the double-engine government deliver on this poll promise? Even in Ampati, there are no teachers in schools and no doctors at the health centres. The NPP-led MDA government inaugurated the polytechnic but it did not see the light of day. Shillong Medical College exists on paper while Tura Medical College is still in the doldrums.”
Urging people to vote for Miani D Shira and Alphonsush R Marak, the party candidates from Ampati and Williamnagar, respectively, Banerjee said, “I request people to vote for TMC candidates and the twinflowers to kick start development in the state otherwise we will be answerable to our next generation.”
