NPP demands suspension of BJP MDC for manhandling GHADC EM

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 2, 2021

The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) on Monday demanded inquiry and suspension of BJP MDC from Tura Bernard N Marak for his alleged involvement in manhandling an Executive Member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.

“From the NPP, we unanimously demand for an inquiry against Bernard and his immediate suspension from the duties of MDC till the time the inquiry is completed,” Spokesman of the NPP Meghalaya Statem Aldo A Sangma said in a statement.

Bernard had allegedly manhandled and punched the EM of the GHADC Dhormonath Ch Sangma on August 1.

Expressing full solidarity with the EM, Aldo said, “An assault on the EM is an assault on the GHADC and on the people of Naguapara – the constituency which Dhormonath hails from.

We also request the police to take immediate and stringent action against Bernard based on the FIR that was filed for his deplorable actions. For the dishonour that Bernard has brought to a public office, he should be subjected to the strictest of punishments as a matter of example.”

The NPP leader also alleged that Bernard, who is now BJP’s public representative in the GHADC, not only assaulted Dhormonath but also used unimaginably filthy language, and even intimidated the engineer and other officials, passing threats of causing grievous injury to them if the GHADC did not cater to all his projects.

“Bernard demanded that he should be allotted more funds than what was already allotted to him, despite his constituency Tura receiving the highest amounts of funds in the 15th Finance Commission.

The officials of the Civil Works department tried to patiently explain to an already aggressive Bernard that it was not in their hands and that the matter should be taken up with the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of GHADC. But Bernard did not stop threatening them or abusing them,” he said.

Stating that Bernard is supposed to be a public representative, who is expected to have understanding of law and policy when it comes to the functioning of constitutional bodies, Aldo said, “However, his terrorist-like approach to things, demanding the law to be bent illegally for him and then furthermore intimidating other public servants, is a matter of shame and demands condemnation of the highest levels.”

The spokesperson further suggested that Bernard should recluse from the hangover of his militant past and behaves more like a human first before trying to discharge any of his public duties.

He however alleged that is too much to expect from him as Bernard has done only illegal things in the past.

“People of Garo Hills will remember how ANVC-B militants, whose chairman was Bernard, kidnapped and killed innocent people in the region.

Bernard also ran an illegal resort named Eden, which was the den for illegal activities, drug abuse, prostitution and adultery, causing harassment for students and the residents of the area.

Bernard is now trying to project the same illegalities, aggression and militant-like behaviour in the capacity of a public servant, not realising that things do not work how they used to in his past and that a people’s representative should act in accordance with law, using the mind and not the might. Bernard’s behaviour is disgraceful to say the least,” he stated.