The state president of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Jamil Ahmed, said today that certain powers that be are intent on keeping Meghalaya’s people poor in order to get away with rampant corruption.
In a statement, Ahmed said that Meghalaya was once known for being free of malpractices and corruption but that those days are “long gone”.
Certain “powers” want to keep the common people poor so that they are too busy thinking about their livelihoods and how to meet day-to-day expenses to be bothered about the state’s development.
Ahmed cited the collapse of the dome of the under construction new Assembly building as an example of corruption.
He also highlighted the problems of unemployment, “all-time high” price rise and rising inequality.
“The economy of the state is at a pitiable stage but a few lucky persons are becoming richer. The problems are numerous but the question is how many of them have been addressed by the present government?”
The LJP recently constituted a new South West Khasi Hills committee. As part of his visit to the district earlier this month, Ahmed said that no government minister had deigned to visit those who had lost their homes to bad weather. In addition, he found it ironic that the Public Health Engineering Minister is Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, the Mawkyrwat MLA, yet his own constituency is plagued by water supply problems.
Ahmed urged the public to know their rights, question the government on important issues and not sell their votes cheaply at the next election.
