Illegal coal mining and other corrupt practices have direct consequences for the general population of Meghalaya as the loss of revenue to the state exchequer means that teachers and other workers have to wait months for their salaries.
This was stated by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Ernest Mawrie today as he pitched for a corruption-free government led by his party in 2023.
Mawrie was speaking after welcoming former Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Chairman, Martamlin Pyrbot, back into the BJP fold. Pyrbot had been one of the founding members of the saffron party in Meghalaya but had resigned some years ago.
According to the BJP leader, his party is the only one that can end the menace of illegal mining and thereby increase the state’s revenue.
“I was the first to raise my voice against illegal coal mining and other corrupt activities in the state and the other parties have followed suit,” Mawrie said. “These illegal activities have created many problems and resulted in the ultimate loss for the public and teachers, muster roll workers, etc are not getting their salaries on time because the revenue is not going to the state exchequer.”
With the Hindu nationalist party firmly in command at the Centre, Mawrie stated that it would be to Meghalaya’s benefit to have the BJP in power at the state level too.
“If we have a BJP government here and in Delhi, it will be much easier for us to take up issues for the welfare of the state,” he said, like the Inner Line Permit (ILP), the approval for which is stuck with the Centre.
Meanwhile, the BJP is yet to receive a response from the Chief Minister regarding the letter the party sent him asking for an explanation as to how the government came to accept the support of the five Congress MLAs in the Assembly. The issue came as a shock to the BJP, which is stridently opposed to the Congress. Vice versa, the state and national Congress cannot stomach working with the BJP and have suspended the five MLAs in question.
Coming to the party’s hopes in 2023, Mawrie said that several high-profile politicians will join the BJP before the election. While it has been able to draw in several personalities to its ranks, it has been outperformed by the ruling National People’s Party, which has hoovered up members from across the political spectrum.
Several politicians, like former MLA Bluebell R Sangma, joined the BJP on Mawrie’s recent visit to Garo Hills. He is next travelling to Nongstoin and hinted that the party will receive a boost from there as well.
Meanwhile, Pyrbot said that the “impressive” way the BJP is functioning nationally has convinced him to rejoin. He joined the party in 1992 and contested elections in 1993 and 1998 but never won.
“I will stay and work for the party till I breathe my last,” Pyrbot added dramatically.
