SHILLONG, Oct 15: The state BJP has accused its coalition partner NPP of blackmailing people affected by the recent deluge in parts of Garo Hills by asking them to join the party to avail the relief materials.
“The deprivation in the Garo Hills is due to politics. They want everyone to register as NPP members to get the basic schemes, which is unfair,” state BJP vice president and Tura MDC, Bernard N Marak said on Tuesday.
“The NPP workers are even telling the affected people to join their party first to get CGI sheets, which are coming from the Housing Department and the Centre,” he said.
“This is happening in some parts of Gambegre and Dalu where the NPP workers are taking advantage of central schemes and trying to make the people join the party,” Marak said.
He said this is tantamount to blackmailing the people to further their political ambitions. “They are openly setting conditions before giving the GCI sheets but instead of giving them three bundles, they are giving two bundles of these sheets,” he alleged.
Marak said the state BJP has developed the Arigri app on which people can sign up for central government schemes and information.
“Deprivation of the affected people made us develop this app. None of the victims of the past floods in South Garo Hills received relief and they questioned the chief minister when he went to the villages,” he said.
“We are running the app from our office and conducting surveys to find out who got the central schemes and who did not. We have initiated this from the Garo Hills as many people here have been deprived of basic schemes such as PMAY, ration cards, toilets, and job cards. So many old people, widows, and disabled have been left out of the schemes,” Marak said.
He said the survey details would be forwarded to the departments and blocks concerned and a copy sent to the Centre. “We do not want anyone to be deprived,” he added.
Marak, a member of the GHADC, said Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has been seeking financial contributions for the flood-affected people while the district administration is providing some relief.
“We have decided to contribute a month’s salary for the relief work. People, churches, and NGOs are donating generously,” he said.
He, however, said the floods exposed the government’s failure to provide PMAY houses, ration cards, and other benefits to villagers.
