SHILLONG, Feb 17: AICC spokesperson Alka Lamba slammed Union Home Minister, Amit Shah for his statement that Meghalaya is the most corrupt state in the country, stating that Meghalaya is not corrupt but the government of Meghalaya, which he is a part of, is corrupt.
Her reference was to the BJP’s presence in the NPP-led MDA government.
On the BJP’s “Beti Bachao Beti Padao” slogan, Lamba said the people of Meghalaya want to know why BJP has fielded a man (Bernard N Marak from South Tura) accused under the POCSO Act.
“A man is known to run a brothel in Meghalaya. He had run away to UP where he was caught and jailed (in Meghalaya). Instead of removing him from the party, you have rewarded him with a ticket,” she said.
Asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his claim of protecting women when he brings such men who exploit women to represent the people, Lamba said Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani are answerable to the people of Meghalaya, especially women and girls.
Referring to NITI Aayog’s Multidimensional Poverty Index, which finds that Meghalaya is one of the poorest states in the country, Lamba said it is ranked the 5th poorest in the country and the poorest in the Northeast. “BJP government has increased hunger in the country. India is ranked 107th out of 121 countries. India ranks below Sri Lanka (64), Nepal (81), Bangladesh (84), and Pakistan (99),” she said.
“BJP is claiming they are a double engine government but they are actually a double trouble government. The double trouble is unemployment and inflation,” she said, adding the NPP and the BJP have a lot to answer to the people of Meghalaya on the high rate of unemployment.