Shillong, March 21: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said people have voted for the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government and it is a reflection of the biggest ‘agni pariksha’.

“People have voted for the different components of the MDA, people have voted for the MDA government. This is the biggest agni pariksha,” Sangma said in his reply to the short duration discussion moved by VPP legislator from North Shillong Adelbert Nongrum in the Assembly.

Refusing to comment on statements by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the elections, Sangma said, “We said what we have to say during elections. Many of our coalition partners too said (so many things) against us and we against them. But people have given their verdict and they expect us to be responsible…”

While moving the short duration discussion, Nongrum asked if the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister would be so careless to publicly declare that the state government of Meghalaya is the most corrupt in the entire India. “Do you think persons of their stature will speak without having enough knowledge about what is really going on in the mismanagement of public funds released to the state by the central government?” Nongrum said adding “If the charges of corruption against the state government are untrue, then it requires that the government of the day give a strong and befitting response to the remarks of the Prime Minister and the Union Minister.”

The chief minister, however, highlighted the achievements of the MDA government in terms of the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, PMGSY and others and said, “This is testimony of the fact that Meghalaya has performed well and it is the government of India which has given us these certificates.”

“The fact that today in this MDA-2 government, we are working together with the BJP (and) during the swearing in ceremony (which was also attended by the) the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister (for the first time in the state’s history) speaks volume about their confidence in this government,” he further stated.

Reminding the people that the ‘agni pariksha’ of 2023 is over, the chief minister said, “It is now for the leaders of the state to fulfil the aspirations of the people and take the state forward as we want to make Meghalaya the top 10 states in the country.”

He urged all members to work together with the government and said, “We will have our differences and sometimes you can agree to disagree but it should be done with a positive mindset.”

Earlier, while taking part in the discussion, AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma said that corruption is more crippling and deadly than terrorism as it can cripple the state at the cost of the next generation.

“Therefore, let us not take this issue lightly. It is appropriate for this House to adopt a government resolution urging the government of India to indicate the instance of corruption. If there are instances of corruption, let the government of India come up with measures to investigate the alleged irregularities so that we can free this state from being referred to as a corrupt state,” he asserted.

When Mukul expressed concern over the increase in the AT&C losses of up to 60% in the state, the chief minister however said the losses during 2021 to 2022 was at 30.8% which means it has continuously come down.

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