Shillong, Sept 30: Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Alphons Kannanthanam on Saturday urged the citizens to maintain cleanliness and not to dump waste indiscriminately, even as he assured to make Meghalaya into a big tourism destination.
Participating in a Swacch Bharat programme organized by the BJP ​at Umphrup village in Nongkrem Assembly constituency, Alphons said, “Look at our country, it is so dirty. Who is making it dirty? We are making it dirty… The Prime Minister said that the first thing that India should do is to keep our country clean. How we achieve it? We have to be clean personally, keep our house clean and Meghalaya is the most beautiful place in the world why should we make it dirty?
Alphons said that the Prime minister when he walked and if saw a piece of paper he picked it up.“Should we not do the same if we see garbage? We should not throw garbage on the road and keep our village clean.”
He also described Shillong his second home for he had studied here.
Alphons also thanked the Prime Minister for making him the Minister though he is not a member of Parliament.
“I have become a minister for only one thing, to realise the dream of the PM for the new India. The dream he wants is food for everybody as about 30 crore people go to bed without a meal.The PM wants every child in India to go to school as 50 per cent of our children have not seen a school. He wants a house for everybody and the government is building 2 crore houses for the poor people over the next five years and a toilet for everybody,” the Minister said.
He also said that 67 per cent of Indians when BJP came to power in 2014, did not have toilets. The Modi-led government has constructed 4 ½ crore toilets across the country and today 69 per cent of people in India have toilets.
“The NDA government wants job for everybody. Unless you have a job, you cannot live with dignity. The PM wants world class infrastructure, good roads and industries. This is Modi’s dream which is for the ordinary people not for the rich people,” he said.
The Minister however expressed worry for there are no job opportunities in Meghalaya.
“You have wonderful people, and you have best singers and Lou Majaw is my close friend. You are the best musical people in the whole world… but unfortunately our young people do not have a chance,” he said.
“What are your government doing” They corrupt, and steal all the people’s money. They build huge houses/mansions, they go abroad on a holiday and but our young people have no jobs. My mission as a Tourism Minister is to make Meghalaya a big tourism destination where lots of our young people can find a job,” Alphons assured.
On beef ban, the Minister said, “You want to know if BJP comes to power. Our policy is very clear that people of Meghalaya will decide what they want to eat, and nobody else will decide what you are going to eat, wear or talk.”
He also accused the Congress of propagating that BJP would burnt Churches, and beat Christians.
“The Prime Minister (Modi) has been in power, and not one Church in India has been torched, and not one Christian was beaten up anywhere. The PM says I will protect you. No PM in India who has the courage to say, believe in whatever you want, I will protect you. He has been doing it and not even one Christian has been harmed,” Alphons defended.
Putting a question if the PM would give power to the Christian, Alphons said, “If you vote the BJP to power in Meghalaya, will the BJP be partial to the Christian? No. Look, the PM has made me Minister even though I am not a Member of Parliament. In Arunachal Pradesh there are six Christians who are in the Cabinet, in Manipur six Christian ministers, in Nagaland two Christian ministers are from BJP. In Goa, the Deputy Chief Minister was a Christian. So wherever the BJP comes to power, the PM puts Christian on top there.”​