SHILLONG, Feb 15: Hours after BJP released its Vision Document 2023 (read manifesto), promising to take on corruption in the state, the Committee accused the former of resorting to jumla (false promise) and questioning their silence on the burning issue of corruption in the MDA government which has the saffron party as one of its constituents.
Addressing newspersons here on Wednesday, AICC spokesperson, Supriya Shrinate said BJP’s promise to establish a Special Task Force under a retired Supreme Court Judge to investigate cases of corruption against the MDA is a jumla because BJP is itself a part of the alliance. She wanted to know what the BJP was doing for the last 5 years after becoming a part of the MDA government.
Making it clear that BJP will not win any seat in Meghalaya, Shrinate said, “The announcement of this Special Task Force is actually a veiled threat to other smaller parties to fall in line or else they will be under the scanner.”
Questioning BJP on whether the party would act against its own party leaders — Sanbor Shullai and AL Hek — who were a part of the “corrupt” MDA alliance, she said, “The saffron party is a threat to the identity of people of Meghalaya as there have been attacks on churches in various parts of India and innocents have been lynched on allegations of eating beef.”
“There is religious profiling of Christians and Muslims in Assam,” the AICC leader said, adding that recently, an RSS-backed organisation in Assam had demanded stripping Christians off their Scheduled Tribe status.
Accusing BJP of polarising the country and spreading communal disharmony everywhere, Shrinate said the BJP’s move to bring in a Uniform Civil Code is a reflection of its “majoritarian mindset”.
“The inhuman treatment and false indictment of Fr Stan Swamy, who lived his life for the welfare of the tribal community, and was tortured to death by the BJP is still fresh in our minds. He will remain a martyr who fought for the people’s rights till his end as a true believer of our constitution,” Shrinate said.
The AICC leader also slammed TMC saying the “violent politics” of West Bengal is now being imported to Meghalaya. “The TMC which is immersed in corruption and exploitation of the poor in West Bengal has now set foot in Meghalaya,” she cautioned.
Recalling the TMC’s “dubious” entry and exit post elections in Goa, Shrinate said, “Is TMC a silent partner of the BJP? Was the entry of TMC in Goa only a charade done to divide the votes against Congress? Is TMC attempting something similar in Meghalaya? Is it intentionally going to cheat the people of Meghalaya also? If they are not in agreement with BJP, why is TMC silent about the BJP in Meghalaya?”
