SHILLONG, June 26: The BJP Meghalaya on Friday launched a sharp attack on rival political parties, accusing them of blatantly using religion as a divisive political weapon to mislead voters and block the saffron party’s expansion in the predominantly Christian state.
The allegation came amid questions over the BJP’s limited success in Assembly elections, where it has so far managed to secure only the South Shillong and Pynthorumkhrah constituencies despite repeated attempts to strengthen its organisational base.
BJP spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang claimed that whenever elections draw near, rival parties resort to aggressive religious propaganda to polarise voters, as they lack any substantive issues on development or welfare to challenge the BJP.
“Rival parties raise the issue of religion to influence public sentiment because they have no grounds to attack the BJP over development or welfare programmes,” Kharkrang told reporters. He alleged that this “religious propaganda” has repeatedly hindered the party’s growth in the state.
He asserted that people are gradually realising these allegations are politically motivated and do not reflect the BJP’s actual functioning. He emphasised that development initiatives of the BJP-led NDA Government reach all sections of society without any religious discrimination.
Defending the party’s inclusiveness, he highlighted that Christian leaders within the BJP have consistently raised concerns of the Christian community, and the central leadership has always been responsive.
“Party leaders from Meghalaya are the first to raise any issue affecting the interests of Christians in the state any elsewhere,” Kharkrang added.
Echoing the same line, BJP state vice president Khrawboklang Basaiawmoit strongly denied any discrimination in the rollout of central schemes.
“If the BJP followed the same approach as some other political parties, central schemes would have been confined only to the South Shillong and Pynthorumkhrah constituencies,” he said.
Basaiawmoit pointed out that welfare programmes such as housing assistance and rural electrification have been implemented across Meghalaya regardless of which party — BJP, NPP, VPP or others — represents the constituency.
He expressed confidence that as more people become aware of the BJP’s non-discriminatory governance, they will reject attempts to politicise religion during elections.
