Shillong, January 08: The National President of NPP Conrad K. Sangma on Monday addressing a public meeting to drum up support for Mr Sniawbhalang Dhar at Nartiang in Jaintia Hills expressed his happiness that the people of Jaintia Hills turned up in large numbers to attend the rally.
“I am proud and happy that people of Jaintia Hills have come out in large numbers to support us”, he said, while stating that the coming election was not about Congress, NPP or about individual candidates but for the people and the overall development of the state of Meghalaya.
“It is a very important election for each and everyone one of us. In the whole state there is a wind of change and the people are looking for a change as the people of Meghalaya have lost confidence in the Congress party”, said Conrad. He said that there was a time when Congress party used to rule in 18 states, which has been reduced to four states currently and after 2018 election Congress will loose Meghalaya as well.
“Not just the people have lost faith and confidence in Congress but even their leaders are not confident in their party, which is the reason that the Congress party president Dr. DD Lapang, Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister are not contesting the upcoming election”, Conrad added.
“Congress leaders have no hope for the party. Why should the public have confidence in Congress party? They know that there is no future of Congress party in India”, remarked Conrad Sangma, while adding that the Congress party is panicking and is making last minute efforts to woe voters through government schemes.
Citing 2013 election in Meghalaya, where Dr. Mukul Sangma promised Rs. 5000 to the women of Selsella constituency, which was transferred to their accounts, Conrad said, “After the election, the money was deducted from their daily wage earning from MGNREGA, which was a loan given to the women from the bank”.
He cautioned the people that the Congress party will promise money and through bank they would give loan. “After election they will force you to give it back, this is how they are trying to fool our people”, he added.
He told the crowd of over 20,000 plus that Congress government has failed to restore the livelihood of the people, who are dependent on coal. “Dr. Mukul says three years have gone by and he could do nothing about it. Dr Mukul tells the people, we can start the coal mining through MMDC but not the public. If MMDC can do why not the public?” Making a scatting attack on Mukul, Conrad said, “Dr. Mukul have taken away coal from the people, future of the children and now trying to take away the land of the people”.
He promised that NPP would fight for the rights of the people as it has continued to raise the issue of coal in the parliament on a regular basis. “If you are with us, we will create a new Meghalaya with a new vision. Through the mission document for this election and beyond we want to change the future of our state”, he said, while specifying that NPP has a vision for sectors like coal, agriculture, education, tourism, health amongst others.
He also said that NPP would not be the single largest party but also the single majority in the 2018 election. The theme of the rally – “Mission 2018: NPP for a New Meghalaya”. He also categorically indicated that the wave for a resurgent and new Meghalaya was in the offing and people of Jaintia Hills have to unite.
“We have to ensure that NPP candidates win the 2018 election with a thumping majority. People across Meghalaya are pledging their support for the party and it is each ones responsibility to come together and extend our cooperation and support to the family of NPP”, said Conrad.
He told the crowd that support from the public clearly demonstrated the mood of the people for a change. “In this election people of Meghalaya have to come with one voice and one choice of building a new Meghalaya, a state where every individual and section of the society has hope for the better future of our state”.
He reminded that 2018 election was very important and crucial not just for NPP but for the state as a “new direction” and a “new policy” for the future of the state have to be put in place. “The party has prepared a road map and a mission document for the state, which encompasses all the important issues for the welfare of the people. It is urgent that the people of the state become conscious of their rights and exercise their right for the betterment of the state and its people”, Conrad exhorted. He urged the people to carry the information to all areas of Jaintia Hills that NPP is an option for good governance and a party to write a new vision for Meghalaya.
NPP leader Prestone Tynsong said that Dr. Mukul Sangma’s policies have wreaked havoc on the economy and fiscal health of the state. Recalling the series of events that led to the NGT ban, Tynsong said that he had impressed upon the CM to take the issue of the NGT seriously but the CM did not listen to his advice to set up a cabinet sub-committee to look into the complaints forwarded by the NGT. “A committee was set up but not with due consideration to the issues raised by the NGT which involved creating mechanisms to minimise environmental pollution and degradation from mining”, said Tynsong.
He said all the NGT had asked of the state government was to form a committee to look into the environmental degradation from coal mining and to formulate a Mining Policy. “Since the Mukul Sangma governments couldn’t do this, after the third hearing, and since the NGT did not get any satisfactory response from the state government, it decided to form its own committee which eventually led to the ban”, he added. He held Mukul personally responsible for the ban and for destroying the economy of the state and the livelihoods of thousands of people of Meghalaya.
NPP leader Sniawbhalang Dhar thanked everyone for coming and supporting the party. He said that the NPP is the people’s party and not one family’s or one individual’s party. He expressed his sadness that because of Mukul Sangma’s policy, every one, from a betel nut seller to business people, their lives have been adversely affected.
“It is only Conrad Sangma who takes up the issues of the people of Meghalaya in parliament. No other party or MP has the heart to convey the pain and the hardship that the people of Meghalaya face in parliament except for the Tura MP Conrad Sangma and the NPP. No other MP takes up the issue of violence against Christians in the parliament”, said.
Mr Dhar also clarified the misconception that the NPP is the same as the BJP. He promised that the NPP will protect the people, their livelihoods and their land. He warned the people that if the congress comes to power again, Mukul will allow the Meghalaya Mineral Development Corporation (MMDC) to carry out coal mining and this will destroy people’s livelihoods in Jaintia Hills.
