SHILLONG, NOV 28: NCP legislator from South Shillong Sanbor Shullai today dared his political opponent to move the government to bar wards and relatives of public representatives from applying government jobs.
“Tell the Political RTI Contractual Agency why not they move the government to come up with a law that will bar the children and relatives of MPs, MLAs and MDCs from applying for government jobs,” Shullai told media persons here on Tuesday.
He was reacting to the allegations made by a group of women whom he alleged to be assistants of the “Political RTI Contractual Agency” leader Banry Kupar Wahlang, who is also his political opponent in many elections.
Victorian Marbaniang and Disyona Passah in a press conference held on Monday had alleged that as per an RTI report, it was revealed that the MLA had appointed his three daughters and two nephews as temporary employees in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Shullai however said, “Now if my children are applying for government jobs, it is not me who is the appointing authority, they have been appointed based on merits now why should they be jealous of that.”
On the allegation of “favouritism” and “nepotism”, the South Shillong legislator said, “Yes, I am nepotism but it is for all the people of the constituency.”
Prior to him becoming a political leader, he said that since 1985, when he was a social worker, he had been helping many people to get jobs by requesting and appealing to the different departments of the state government.
Stating that unemployment is a big problem faced by the people of the state especially the youth, Shullai said if not jobs, he also find out ways and means to get various schemes for encouraging people to be self employed.
Earlier, Marbaniang and Passah also alleged the legislator of wasting public money by erecting statues of former public representatives and laying of foundation stones in the different parts of the constituency.
They also said that the installation of the bust of former MDC from Laban Late Bhaskar Chowdhury was just to woo the non-tribal voters.
Hitting back at the women for their communal mindset, Shullai reminded that Laban is a cosmopolitan area and the decision to erect the busts was done after due consultation with the family members of the late leaders.
“In fact, the busts were erected by the funds which were also contributed by the family members of the former leaders and public donations,” he said.
The MLA also alleged the women and their agency to be the enemy of development in the constituency because all the proposals approved by the different departments were long pending aspirations of the people.
Claiming that the works for most of the projects have immediately started after the laying of foundation stones, he said, “They should take time to visit the project sites and see it with their own eyes.”
Terming the recent RTI with regards to implementation of the MLA scheme as a first contract by the agency, Shullai said, “Now this is the second contract by them, so we will be waiting for their third, fourth contract against me,” adding “They are desperate because the wave of Sanbor is strong and I tell you the wise decision of the voters both tribal and non-tribal will surely teach them a lesson because their anti-development, anti-statue and all allegations hold no water and will not be accepted by the people of the constituency.”
Armed with copy of cheques, Shullai said that he had given Rs 15,000 to Victorian Marbaniang as loan in December last year, which she refuses to repay him even after nine months.
“I had stopped given money to her (Victorian) because even the loan she promised to pay is to yet to be cleared,” he said while adding “Because of this, now they started to form the agency against me.”
Quoting a letter to the chief minister in January earlier this year, Shullai said that he had requested for reshuffling the post of vice chairman of the state government Programme Implementation & Monitoring Committee after being pressurized by Disyona Passah.
“She (Passah) was appointed as vice chairman (in place of Irene Hujon) with a salary of Rs 30,000 a month,” he said while alleging that Passah had badly wanted the post so that she could complete the construction of her house.
He said that Passah even after being requested to appoint youth from poor family as peon instead had appointed her own sister for post. “Therefore to say that I have never helped them does not arise,” he added.
By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours