Shillong Jan 22: Former Meghalaya Chief Minister and Congress leaders, Dr Mukul Sangma hit out at the BJP-led NDA government and NPP-led MDA government for making “false promises” during elections and questioned if they have opened a good school to learn the art of lying.

Sangma made this remark after holding consultation with stakeholders on the party’s manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National People’s Party of lying the people that the ban on coal mining would be lifted within six months in Meghalaya, Sangma said that they should be awarded with an honorary degree on “master of lies”.

“Lies after lies before and election the elections. I don’t know if they have opened a good school to learn the art of lying. They lie to get votes and even after the formation of the government, they continue to lie to the people of the state. We have to find a university which can provide them honorary degree on master of lies,” Sangma, the former chief minister and now leader of opposition in Assembly said.

He recalled that during the 2018 Assembly elections, BJP leaders promised that coal ban will be lifted within a span of six months and various Union ministers including Rajnath Singh when they came here have also made that statement which was done with the knowledge of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Congress leader further lambasted the NPP-led MDA government including Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma for lying in Assembly that there was no illegal coal mining.

“When we drew the attention of the government, and the chief minister (about the issue) in the Assembly, the next day he (Conrad) gave a statement that there was no illegal mining. They lied in the Assembly and lied the people of the state,” he said.

Sangma also slammed the BJP at the Centre that in 2014 before forming the government had assured to bring back black money, and give Rs 15 lakh in the accounts of the people and others which are nothing but lies.

“These are promises which are on record and the nation knows it. Where have those promises gone? It means they have made promises just to get votes, but full of lies,” he added.

Sangma however said that the approach of Indian National Congress was different and the party do not make promises what it do not intend to implement or fulfil.

He said the party in 2013 had also done auditing of its manifesto how far it has achived and could implement the promises.