Shillong, Sep 10: Meghalaya Users Forum leader Barry Leslie Kharmalki has hit out at Nongkrem MLA and VPP chief Ardent M. Basaiawmoit’s recent statement on HIV prevention and drug cartel operation.
Reacting sharply, Kharmalki criticised Basaiawmoit’s suggestion that abstinence before marriage should be the solution to tackling HIV/AIDS. “Why bother with condoms, education, or modern medical interventions when we can just preach morality and wait for everyone to suddenly turn into saints overnight?” he remarked with sarcasm.
He stressed that public health cannot be addressed by moral lectures alone. “Telling people to ‘abstain before marriage’ has never been a foolproof method. Ignoring evidence-based practices and replacing them with good intentions will not eradicate HIV and AIDS,” Kharmalki said.
On Basaiawmoit’s claims that drug cartels thrive due to collusion between law enforcement agencies and crime lords, Kharmalki said such allegations without proof only sensationalise the issue. “Pointing fingers is far easier than investing in rehabilitation programs, community outreach, or treatment centres that actually help people,” he argued.
Kharmalki further noted that while corruption should be addressed through proper investigations, making sweeping claims without evidence does little to solve the problem. “We need progress, compassion, and healthcare — not grandstanding and misplaced priorities,” he added.
