By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 12: A day after accusing the NPP of siphoning off GHADC funds to fuel the party’s expansion in states like Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, BJP vice president Bernard Marak claimed he was stating facts.
He claimed on Thursday that 40% of the funds allocated through a special package “disappeared” from the GHADC treasury without any record of payment to contractors.
“This is not an allegation, this is a fact. We signed the peace agreement in 2014, and immediately after that, in 2015-16, a special package was given to the state. The Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills, and Garo Hills received funds — Rs 100.71 crore for Garo Hills — but the implementation of that scheme was not done properly,” Marak, also the MDC of the GHADC, said.
He further alleged that 60% of the scheme’s funds were disbursed to contractors but the remaining 40% “disappeared”. He said there is no record or clearance of bills for the missing funds.
“The 40% was not given. Somehow, it disappeared from the treasury without being paid to the contractor. Where did the money go?” Marak asked.
He accused the NPP of diverting the funds for political gains. “We have information that these funds were used to strengthen the party in other states. The NPP used this money because it has been running the executive committee since 2014. The money was misutilised,” he said.
He called for a high-level independent probe into the matter, citing violations of the guidelines set by the NITI Aayog, especially the misuse of more than Rs 50 crore meant for development projects to pay salaries, which directly contradicts the fund’s intended purpose.
“There should be a proper investigation. We want a high-level independent inquiry because this big scam has hit the Garo Hills, particularly the district council, very hard,” Marak said.
When asked if the BJP would approach the central investigative agencies, he said: “If necessary, we will request the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe this. We will also ask the finance department to look into the matter because this is a serious issue. The anomalies have affected every one of us in terms of development, growth, and overall progress.”
Marak also indicated that the party may approach the Lokayukta to ensure a fair and transparent investigation.
“It’s not that we lack confidence in the court, but as signatories to the agreement, we will take up the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs and request an independent inquiry, either by the CBI or ED,” he said.