BJP alleges attempt to print “fake challans” by ministers

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 8, 2020

The state BJP on Sunday accused ministers of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government of trying to remove the incumbent Director of Printing and Stationery with an intention to print “fake challans” for transportation of the illegal coal. 

In a statement, BJP state vice president Bernard N Marak said ministers who were involed in the rampant illegal transportation of coal have gone to such an extent that the Court order passed in favor of the Director, Salgira R Mara has been overlooked instead desperate attempt is being made to amend the service book to remove him from the post of the Director. 

He alleged that the plan to take over the printing and stationery department was mos probably to print “fake challans” as transport coal illegally has become impossible with the whistle blown by the state BJP.

“The access to the department by these ministers will enable them to personalise the printing of challans at their mercy and the state government will lose huge revenue which cannot be allowed for the sake of justice. 

Recently, High Court has passed an order in favour of Salgira R Marak, Director of Printing and Stationery, Government of Meghalaya quashing his appointment as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) but relentless effort is continuously being made to take over the department which prints all government challans, forms, PWD cheque books etc,” Bernard said.

He further stated that the BJP is keeping an eye on the activities of these ministers as their desperation to manipulate the system and attempts to appoint their loyal officers into the high ranked post without any legal proceedings can’t be allowed at any cost. 

Salgira R Marak who is the Director of Printing and Stationery has been targeted by some ministers for failing to comply with their dictates. 

After the disappearance of huge amounts of coal, now the attempts are being made to take over the government press and it can be assumed their intention is to print “fake challans” so that they can continue illegal transportation of coal,  he said. 

“Ministers are desperate to take control of the Printing and Stationery Department because all the challans required for the transportation of coal are printed here. It is the only option left to illegally “legalise” the illegal transportation of coal. 

These ministers want to put their men in the high post so that they can have access to the printing of the “challans” and various other documents,” he said. 

The BJP leader also said the Printing and Stationery Department has a major role to play as these “fake challans” will benefit the ministers but incur huge loss of revenue to the State. Some of these ministers also attempted to amend the service rule to change the Director from his post in spite of the matter being in the purview of the Court.

On NCP MLA Saleng A Sangma’s allegation that BJP is selective in raising corruption issues” is a revelation of his “Standart ignorance”, Bernard said since all Centre schemes are sanctioned by the BJP government with certain objectives to the general public, it is the duty of state BJP to monitor the implementation of the schemes. 

At present, he said BJP is taking up major issues which have affected the development of the state and growth of the people in general but that does not mean that we are not aware of the smaller irregularities in different constituencies. 

“As for example, Saleng A Sangma is MDC and MLA but during his MDC days, he took the responsibility to supply computers to the GHADC which was sanctioned in the name of his close aid but the computers never reached GHADC. 

And as the MLA of Gambegre constituency, Saleng A Sangma should not forget that the list of beneficiaries who availed the “25 Lakhs MLA Relief Scheme” during lockdown is missing. It will be very interesting to know how Gambegre people were cheated with “Ghost beneficiaries” and how 5 KG of rice issued by PM Narendra Modi during lockdown failed to reach the people of Gambegre and schemes for the daily wage earners also failed to reach his people in his constituency,” he said. 

Bernard further claimed that the BJP has good information on corruption and irregularities which most MLAs are unaware of but BJP is focused on major issues at the moment.