The Trinamool Congress today took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for keeping mum on the Mukroh tragedy and the Assam-Meghalaya boundary row during his speech at a gathering here yesterday.
“The Prime Minister spoke at length about the development of the North East but did not spare a single word on the Mukroh tragedy and the Assam-Meghalaya border row. Every day, the people of Meghalaya are suffering because of the lop-sided border resolution brought in by the NPP-led MDA government, of which BJP is also a part,” the Trinamool Congress said in a statement.
It also said that apart from the decorative speech, Modi did not offer any concrete welfare plan for Meghalaya.
Stating that various central schemes are not properly implemented in Meghalaya, the Trinamool Congress said that Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) “is nowhere near completing the target. The sad reality is that many villages of Meghalaya are still without drinking water”.
“PMGSY has failed to give accessibility to the people of Meghalaya. It is due to the absence of roads that a pregnant woman had to be carried in a stretcher manually to avail medical facilities,” the party said.
Stating that imposition of Hindi is “a blatant move to saffronise Meghalaya”, the Trinamool Congress asked, “Is the Prime Minister of our country unaware that Hindi is not the medium of communication for the majority of Meghalaya? During the event, the Prime Minister as well as the Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma spoke at length in Hindi. When the majority of the State does not speak that language, it is nothing less than a blatant move to saffronise Meghalaya.”
The Trinamool Congress also said that the visit of the Prime Minister was nothing but a show of BJP’s money power.
“The length and breadth of Shillong city were covered with huge hoardings of the BJP urging people to give missed calls. There was not a single hoarding focusing on governance though. It was not only shocking but absolutely shameful to witness the defence institutions (near Rhino Point) submerged with BJP flags. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, democracy was debilitated in broad daylight,” the party said.
Trinamool Congress also said that a week before the Prime Minister’s arrival, Shillong was choked with traffic snarls.
“Each and every major entry-exit point was blocked for hours causing inconvenience to residents of the State. Even ambulances were stuck for hours in the congestion. Is it what the people of Meghalaya deserve? Why should the people of Meghalaya bear the brunt of the VIP culture?” it said.
The party also said that on the day of the gathering at Polo Ground, fleets of vehicles with Assam number plates were found near the ground whereas people from Meghalaya were hardly visible among the crowd.
