The National People’s Party (NPP) has condemned a local newspaper for publishing a “fake report” regarding allegations of a Rs 149 crore scam in the implementation of the Saubhagya Scheme, which is meant to provide electricity to all Indian households, in Meghalaya.
The basis for the story published today was supposedly a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). However, NPP MLA and spokesperson, Marcuise N Marak said that he had checked with the CAG who told him that “they have not released any such report.”
The newspaper, Marak said, “came out with a report which was unverified, speculative and fake to say the least, where there were no facts and figures. The integrity of the office of the CAG has literally been compromised by this act of irresponsible journalism which is based on a report which does not even exist.”
According to the story, Power Minister James Sangma had unfairly promoted the interests of one particular contractor and the Chairman and Managing Director of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeECL) was hurriedly replaced in order to allow this scam to go through.
“The entire report is filled with such obscure, opinionated and fake facts, which the office of the CAG has outrightly denied to have ever published,” the NPP spokesperson stated.
