SHILLONG, Feb 17: The TMC on Friday hit back at the BJP just two days after the former was accused of bringing immigrants from Bangladesh to Meghalaya if in power.
Reacting sharply, TMC candidate from Jirang constituency Sunmoon Marak argued that Assam, which is ruled by the BJP, is filled with Bangladeshi immigrants.
“They are falsely claiming that the TMC will bring the immigrants from Bangladesh but don’t they know that there are many Bangladesh immigrants in BJP-ruled Assam?” Marak asked. Marak was countering BJP’s Jirang candidate Riya Sangma’s statement that if the TMC came to power, Meghalaya would see an influx of Bangladeshi immigrants.
Referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Marak said that it was the BJP that introduced the Bill which allows provision of Indian citizenship for persecuted minorities from six neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh.
Marak contended that whilst the TMC vehemently opposed the Bill, it was the NPP that voted in favour of the same.
“When TMC MPs were protesting against the law in 2019, it was NPP MP Agatha Sangma, who voted in favour of the Bill that allowed Indian citizenship for persecuted minorities from Bangladesh and five other neighbouring countries. It was only after facing backlash in Meghalaya, they pretended to demand its repeal as an empty gesture,” the TMC candidate said.
Reacting sharply to Sangma’s statement that only the BJP could solve the problems of border MoU, Marak said, “Meghalaya TMC leaders such as Dr. Mukul Sangma, Charles Pyngrope and George B Lyngdoh, along with our MPs from TMC, have been demanding to abolish the border pact. Our leaders have been tirelessly fighting against the same issue.”
“People of Maikhuli, Pilingkata and Ranipara from the Jirang constituency have been struggling due to the ongoing border issue yet the chief minister did not bother to come and meet them for once. Due to the nefarious nexus of the BJP and the Conrad-led government, the land of Meghalaya is now part of Assam,” Marak said.
Meanwhile, TMC candidate from Rambrai-Jyrngam Fernandez S Dkhar also slammed the NPP-led MDA government for depriving the people in his constituency of development.
Taking a jibe at the MDA government, the Meghalaya TMC candidate said, “Despite multiple pleas, it is disappointing to see that the road that was supposed to be laid between Nongstoin to Kyrshai is now laid only between Rambrai to Mawlong. This road must be laid till Kyrshai, as the villagers have been facing extreme difficulties to commute for many years, especially the women who visit hospitals for check-ups.” (With UNI inputs)
