SHILLONG, May 28: The BJP’s fact-finding team, constituted to investigate allegations of illegal coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya, seems to have turned in yet another empty outburst, full of claims but without any action.
The committee, headed by BJP vice president and Tura MDC, Bernard Marak, was given 40 days to gather evidence. A two-week extension was granted later, but two months later, neither the committee’s whereabouts nor its report is known.
When enquired, Cabinet Minister and senior BJP leader, AL Hek expressed his lack of knowledge of any progress made by the committee.
Hek said that the party’s state-level committee will work on the findings and decide accordingly.
Earlier, reacting to the narrative involving the state BJP that “it’s all smoke and no fire”, Marak had said, “Our duty is to find out whether the claims and allegations about illegal coal mining are true or not. We will submit facts.”
However, rhetoric is not a new practice in Meghalaya, as the BJP had previously vowed to move the CBI against the state government over illegal coal mining, only to become the first party to extend support to the MDA 2.0 soon after the announcement of the results of the Assembly polls in 2023.
