BJP Jaintia Hills ask Dr Kharlukhi to step down as NPP president, if corruption allegations proved

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 13, 2020

The BJP in Jaintia Hills on Sunday asked the National People’s Party (NPP) state president Dr Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi if he is ready to step down if rampant corruption in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) is proved. 

In a joint statement, the party leaders and MDCs said they are ready to provide the NPP state president with all the documents needed to substantiate their allegations against corruption in the JHADC. 

This came as a reaction to Dr Kharlukhi’s statement that BJP state president, Ernest Mawrie had made the allegation on rampant corruption in the two ADCs – JHADC and GHADC, without any substantial evidences. According to Mawrie, Rs 20 crore sanctioned under the special assistance grant (SAG) have been diverted by the JHADC for payment of salaries, which is a clear violation of the guidelines.  

“If you doubt the credibility of the (BJP) state president made during the press conference, we are ready to provide you with the all the documents needed to substantiate…and we say whether you will steps down as NPP State President if the rampant corruption in the JHADC is substantiated,” the statement said

The party leaders and MDCs also asked if the NPP state president would dare to take action against the incumbent JHADC chief, Thombor Shiwat and his executive committee for indulging in such rampant corruption. 

The JHADC is being led by the NPP-UDP coalition. 

On the other hand, the statement also alleged the JHADC chief for attempting to mislead the people of the region. 

“Will Dr Kharluki ask the CEM to steps down for speaking without any clear knowledge and who is committing the biggest crime by misleading the people of Jaintia Hills without proper facts, baseless statements and figures,” it said. 

“Corruption is at the highest level in JHADC. The CEM was heard stating at a press conference on September 10, that “there is a council’s money in our account”. The question arises how can council money be (transferred) in the personal account of the executive members. Is it because JHADC has no account and can you deny that this is not corruption,” the statement said.

It also said that the CEM was also misleading the people when he had changed his statement by saying that only Rs 50 crore (from Rs 100 crore as claimed earlier) royalty share is pending with the state government. 

“This clearly shows that CEM of JHADC is only trying to mislead the people of Jaintia Hills and he is speaking without proper facts, figures or any documents or files and shows that the CEM of JHADC has no idea about the fund position of the Council,” it said.

The statement was signed by the three MDCs of the BJP – Lakhon Biam, Dawan Lyngdoh and Krison Langstang, and the party leaders including state general secretary and former Jowai MLA, Sing Mulieh.