SHILLONG, June 1: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Meghalaya has denied that the party is going slow on its internal investigation into allegations of illegal coal mining and transportation in the state, claiming the report of the fact-finding committee is nearing completion.
The BJP had announced the formation of the committee with much fanfare, projecting it as a bold move to probe rampant allegations of illegal coal trade a politically sensitive issue that has dogged successive administrations in Meghalaya. The prolonged delay and lack of transparency have now cast a shadow over the party’s credibility on the matter.
The silence of the committee’s chairman, Bernard Marak, has also raised questions about transparency and intent.
The fact-finding committee was originally given 40 days to compile its report. Despite a two-week extension, nearly two months have passed without any formal disclosure or public update on the committee’s whereabouts or progress.
This has led to political rivals and observers accusing the BJP of making lofty claims without delivering tangible results.
BJP state chief spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang dismissed the accusations as unfounded and stated that internal coordination has been ongoing.
“The allegations are wrong. We have already submitted all our findings, and now it is for the chairman to submit his final report,” Kharkrang said on Sunday.
Recently, Cabinet Minister and senior BJP leader, AL Hek had 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.
As the BJP tries to reassure the public and its supporters, all eyes remain on Bernard Marak, who could either re-establish the party’s commitment to accountability or reinforce the opposition’s charge that the party is all talk and no action.
