SHILLONG: Shillong MP Vincent Pala on Monday accused the BJP of lying in its manifesto for last year’s Assembly polls and asked people not to believe the saffron party.
Pala said the BJP had lied in its manifesto when it claimed it would resolve the coal mining issue in the state.
Talking to media persons here, Pala asked people never to believe in the manifesto of the BJP saying the saffron party had assured to lift the ban on coal mining, but till now nothing has happened as the file pertaining to invoking Para 12 (a) (b) of the Sixth Schedule to exempt Meghalaya from certain laws is still lying in the coal ministry.
He said that AICC president Rahul Gandhi has, in fact, made it clear that if voted to power Congress will invoke the particular provision which will lead to resumption of coal mining in the state.
It may be mentioned that the National Green Tribunal banned coal mining in the state in April, 2014.
He also said that it was the previous MUA government which had regulated limestone mining, which was also banned in the state, by declaring it as minor mineral.
He said that he does not see Jemino Mawthoh as the common candidate since he is contesting the election with UDP symbol, adding he is a consensus candidate fighting against the UDP leader.
Pala also said that BJP was desperately trying to field a candidate from Shillong since it knows that non-tribals in Shillong would vote for the Congress. He said the BJP wants to cut into this vote by fielding a candidate.
Earlier, MPCC president Celestine Lyngdoh said that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has offered the Rafale deal to Anil Ambani whose company Reliance Communications shut down its mobile services in the North East without any notice affecting around 1 crore people who had paid Rs 3000 each as a refundable security deposit. “The prime minister is colluding with people who have looted the North East,” he said.
Pointing out that the unemployment rate is high in the country, he said Modi was no longer talking about “acche din,” but “main bhi chowkidar”.
