Shillong, Dec 2: BJP national spokesperson also in-charge Meghalaya, Nalin S. Kohli said that the wave in Meghalaya is that the Congress is going to be out of the government next year.
Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, Kohli said, “I did not see a wave at the moment in any party’s perspective. But I see one wave that Congress will not return in Meghalaya. That’s the only wave which is clear that the Congress is going out of the government. With regards to who will come, that is the right of the people and every party is entitled to aim for maximum number of seats.”
According to Kohli, for the BJP, an election is serious exercise, because it involves people’s aspiration and in Meghalaya, the message is very clear “development, development, development as by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre, the BJP government elsewhere, mayors and panchayat level.
“Everyone who looks to see the Congress out, and believes in the agenda of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas and wants to bring that agenda in Meghalaya, the only option before them is the BJP,” he said.
Asked about acche din (good days) that the government promised for the people, Kohli said, “acche din is a process and it is to be seen from different perspective. Those who were with the system of black money and those who involved in biggest scams and investigation launched against them, those who took money from the banks and run away, it is not acche din for them. But those who want to do honest business and those who want to see action taken against those indulged in corruption, it is acche din for them. Acche din has different meaning for different people.”
To a question that the BJP which has been talking against corruption inducted people who have been accused of corruption including Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP national spokesperson said, “as an advocate, the fundamental question is, you are innocent unless proven guilty. Conviction or a sentence by a court is a confirmation of it whether it is murder, corruption or anything. Therefore just because somebody is accused, there are extraneous reasons also that FIRs got registered. Even in family disputes, FIR got registered and the court held them to be false. I will not hold any guilt against anyone unless there is a court order based on evidence. Otherwise as an advocate, and someone who believes in the Constitution completely, I will be going against the message of the Constitution.”
Asked if his answer would open opportunity that even people alleged of corruption in Meghalaya would be welcomed into the BJP, Kohli said that he was telling only the correct position of law.
“What is correct is correct, and what is written in the Constitution is written. It is not created by me,” he said.
On BJP leaders meeting Church leaders here that might further create negative perception about the party, Kohli said that there was not even one instance of discrimination by the Central government under Modi, be it gas connection, opening of poor people’s bank accounts, Mudra for taking loans, women issue, or religion. That’s what the Constitution said under Article 14. We are first Indian and no law will discriminate. Meeting priests it is not communal agenda, and the same when we met Church leaders in Meghalaya. We don’t discuss politics with them and it cannot be called communal agenda. We are discussing with Church leaders because they are institutions of religious practice, and some involved in development in terms of running schools, nursing homes, etc.”
On beef issue, Kohli said that the BJP did not say what people should or will eat because it is upto the people to decide.
