Shillong, June 19: The Meghalaya BJP has accused the Mukul Sangma government of having "completely failed" on the development front and lambasted the Congress dispensation for a "weak-kneed" approach towards internal security and infiltration.
The second state executive meeting of the Meghalaya unit of BJP was held here yesterday in the presence of BJP organising secretary (Northeast) Ajay Jamwal.
While endorsing the political resolution adopted at the BJP national executive meeting, held at Allahabad recently, the state BJP took pot shots at the Mukul Sangma government while clearly sounding the 2018 Assembly poll bugle.
"After completion of nearly three and half years in office, the Mukul Sangma-led Congress government has exhibited a complete moral drift, a weak-kneed approach regarding internal security and infiltration and total apathy towards the vexed boundary dispute," BJP spokesperson Basu Chakraborty said in a statement issued here today.
The BJP said the government has "completely failed" to usher in development as promised by the Congress in its 2013 election manifesto.
"The prime factor contributing to the stalling of development activities is the internal squabble among the Congress ministers and legislators. Even before the ink is dry on one dissension, another dissension crops up against the chief minister," Chakraborty said.
The BJP pointed out that the consecutive defeats of the Congress at the hands of the Opposition parties, including the BJP in the GHADC elections and the recent Tura Lok Sabha bypoll, were a reflection of the "growing anger" of the people against the ruling party.
On corruption, the BJP said it would "put behind bars" the perpetrators of crime and corruption, once it is elected to power.
On the influx of Bangladeshi nationals, the BJP said the problem has become a "menace" for the entire state. "Since its inception in Meghalaya, the BJP has always demanded detection, deletion and deportation of the infiltrators. But till date, the government has not adopted any effective mechanism. While the indigenous population has an apparent fear, the genuine non-indigenous people, some of whom have been residing here for the past 50 or 100 years, have a grievance that they are being accorded secondhird class status," the BJP spokesperson said.
At the same time, the BJP expressed dismay over the attitude of the state government in resolving the vexed boundary dispute with Assam. "The party questions the sincerity of the Congress in this regard as it was ruling both the states of Assam and Meghalaya, till the recently-concluded elections to the Assam Legislative Assembly, where the Congress lost power. The BJP resolves, if elected to power, to give top priority to settling the issue with the present BJP government in Assam," the BJP said.
Moreover, the BJP was of the view that the government has been "utterly weak-kneed" in protecting the lives, limbs and properties of the citizens.
"While anti-social elements, anti-nationals, gangsters, drug peddlers and criminals roam free, the government and its agencies remain silent spectators to crime, lawlessness, extortions and killings. The government neither acts nor reacts, making decisions only for the next 24 hours. It sways like blades of grass at the slightest breeze of pressure," Chakraborty said.
On the agricultural front, the BJP opined that the state government has not been able to utilise the various schemes initiated by the Centre for the development of agriculture. "Most for the farmers are unaware of schemes like Kisan Credit Card, Soil Health Card and crop insurance scheme. The BJP urges the state government to uplift the condition of the farming community by facilitating them with the above schemes, along with adequate storage provisions," the BJP said.
At the same time, the BJP was concerned with the economy of the state, which it termed was "grossly mishandled".
"Development projects have come to a standstill in the name of paucity of funds, citing the NGT ban on coalmining and unfriendly government at the Centre. It is anticipated that the financial position of the state will be virtually on the verge of bankruptcy if immediate remedial measures are not adopted," Chakraborty said.
The BJP demanded the government to adopt austerity measures and asked for the reduction in the number of political appointees to bring some relief to the state exchequer.
Khasi eviction
In relation to the reports that Bangladesh government had recently served eviction notices to a section of Khasi families, residing in the neighbouring country, the BJP said the issue would be taken up with the Centre, on priority.
It has been reported that the Dhaka district administration had issued eviction notices to over 700 Khasi people. The Khasi people are said to have been living on their ancestral land at Nahar Punji of Srimangal Upazila in Moulvibazar district.
"The whole movement is planned in such a way that not only Khasis but also Hindus, Buddhists and Christians are being targeted, tortured and murdered in Bangladesh, as reported in the national media. An organisation - Hindu Buddhists Christian United Forum of Bangladesh - is fighting in Bangladesh for their cause," Chakraborty said.
