AITC GS asks Meghalaya CM to stop behaving like a puppet of the BJP

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 29, 2022

All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday asked the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to stop behaving like a “puppet” of the BJP.

“Conrad Sangma eventually became Conman Sangma. If you still have some dignity left in yourself, stop behaving like a puppet…,” Abhishek said while addressing the launch of a pan state membership drive after inaugurating the state party office in Lower Lachumiere.

Also present were AITC Meghalaya State President Charles Pyngrope, AITC Legislature party leader Dr. Mukul Sangma and AITC Meghalaya in-charge Dr. Manas Ranjan Bhunia.

He said it was shameful for the chief minister, who was busy attending dinner parties in Delhi when his own state was facing calamities and crisis.

“They formed an alliance called the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) but Conrad Sangma should rename that acronym MDA as “My Development Alliance” as if any development has happened in the last five years, it is Conrad Sangma’s development,” he said.

The AITC national general secretary further accused the NPP-led MDA government of surrendering tribal lands to Assam to please the masters in Delhi.

“In the name of border dispute settlement, you saw the unprecedented rather unacceptable move where the current government has surrendered land to the Assam. All this was done to please the masters in Delhi,” he said.

He added, “Those who have lived their lives as Meghalayans and who have cherished the hard brought statehood are suddenly being made to live as residents of another state. What can be more shameful than this. A government that has little or no respect for its land is not worthy of holding a position of power.”

Further attacking the chief minister, Abhishek said, “Have you seen his body language when he meets the people in Delhi, when he meets the BJP top brass. He is a chief minister who has been elected by the people. You are carrying the aspirations, hope and respect of 35 lakh Meghalayans but is this how you bow down to BJP leaders, is this what the people of Meghalaya deserve, is this what you voted for him, is this what you expected out of him?”

Urging the people of Meghalaya to support the AITC to oust the corrupt government in power in the next six months, Abhishek said, “If NPP is the virus, Trinamool is the vaccine.”

“Let them (BJP) bring their entire might and put their entire weight behind the units in Meghalaya and behind Conrad Sangma, I promise you Trinamool will fight till the last drop of its blood but will not surrender before the people in power in Delhi. We are ready to bow down before the power of the people, not before the people in power – this is the difference,” he said.

He said the MDA government under the leadership of Conrad K Sangma is being reduced to a puppet in the hands of BJP.

“(Therefore), I assure you that in six months when you have a new government in place, Meghalaya will rule Meghalaya, Bengal will not rule Meghalaya. I challenge on record will any BJP leader in the country have the guts to come to Meghalaya and say that Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi will have no role to play in the life of Meghalayans. Khasi will be ruled by Khasi, Garo will be ruled by Garo and Jaintia will be ruled by Jaintia, Meghalaya will be ruled by Meghalaya. This is Trinamool Congress commitment to you,” he said.

Abhishek said that the AITC is the only party who can take the BJP head on and have shown them their place.

“Dr Sangma and Pyngrope and every MLA when they decided that we have the fire in our belly and we want to take on the NPP government and we don’t have the platform, they all came to AITC as the AITC is just a platform. All MLAs are sons of the soil and they will work for you,” he said.

Stating that it is high time for the people to give a befitting reply to the MDA government for cheating them in the last four and a half years, he said, “Conrad Sangma came to power with fake promises, with false narrative of double engine government.”

He said this is not a double engine government but a double heist and a double robbery.

“Double engine government means no one will arrest no one. The central government can steal as much resources from Meghalaya as they want, the Meghalaya police will not hold them accountable and Conrad Sangma will do whatever he wants, the CBI will not harass him, this is double heist. We have to give a befitting reply to these people who have cheated us and we have to show them their place,” he said.

The AITC leader said the NPP government has completely ignored the state interest of the people and has been a mere proxy and puppet in the hands of the BJP.

“The abodes of clouds have become a haven for the corrupt, we have to change that,” he added.