Shillong, Feb 12: A politically-motivated decision to shift a Community Rural & Development (C&RD) block office in East Jaintia Hills district by the then Congress-led government came in for sharp criticism during ruling NPP’s election campaign on Wednesday.
National People’s Party (NPP) state president and deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong slammed the then Mukul Sangma-led Congress government for playing politics by shifting the C&RD block headquarters from Wapung village to Lumshnong.
Tynsong, during an election campaign at Wapung, said the move prompted his decision to quit the Congress and join the NPP, which later rescinded the government decision.
“When I was holding C&RD portfolio during the tenure of Dr Mukul Sangma as chief minister, we issued an order to set up block headquarters at Wapung, but because of politics just before the election (in 2018) they issued another notification to shift the same to Lumshnong,” Tynsong said while campaigning for sitting MDC Phasmon Dkhar for Musniang-Rangad constituency under Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC).
He said he, as C&RD minister, had requested village authorities of Wapung to provide land free of cost, only to be left embarrassed by the government decision.
He urged the voters to re-elect Dkhar to allow him to become a bridge between the constituency and the government, chief minister, and deputy chief ministers to fulfill the aspirations of the people.
“I also urge the people to extend their full support to the NPP so that we can form the new executive committee in JHADC to ensure all round development of the constituency and the region as a whole,” he added.
He also appreciated the decision of the village dorbar to organise the meeting away from the schools since students are having their Board examination and said an examination centre was also provided by the government at Wapung.
Tynsong further criticised certain political parties for threatening to sue dorbar shnongs for organising common platforms for election campaign by different political parties instead of holding separate public meetings.
“Despite being a deputy chief minister, I still do not dare to go against the decision of a dorbar shnong in my own village (Wahkhen). Every time I want to have a public meeting before an election, I would first seek their permission and respect the decision of the dorbar shnong,” he said.
Asking the youth not to get swayed by misinformation spread by opposition parties, Tynsong said, “They may allege lack of employment opportunities, but the government has created lots of programmes including skill development for the unemployed youth. You please go and meet your respective BDOs, they will inform you about the different schemes and trainings that will help you get employment.”
He also termed it unfortunate that “nobody is interested in checking the government’s information about job vacancies shared on social media because people are too busy to watch misinformation on social media”.
