KHADC member accuses P.N. Syiem of misusing funds under Special Assistance Grant

Shillong, Jan 15: UDP MDC from Umsning, Donkupar Sumer accused the KHADC chief executive member, P.N. Syiem of misusing the special assistance grant sanctioned by the Centre as “party fund” for the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) during the upcoming Assembly polls.

Addressing media persons here on Monday, Sumer said, “He (Syiem) has been accusing the chief minister, Mukul Sangma of misusing the Livestock Mission as a Congress scheme, but likewise, he (Syiem) is also misusing the Rs 133.12 crore as party fund of the PDF.”

His statement came as a mark of protest against the recent issuing of work orders for implementation of 19 schemes in Umsning constituency by the KHADC chief allegedly without informing its local MDC.

Terming the action by Syiem as “dictatorial”, Sumer said that the CEM was acting like a “Mukul Khasi” by bulldozing the rights of fellow members in the district council.

“He (Syiem) has misused the CEM’s chair just to gain political mileage for the PDF since it is also setting up candidate from Umsning. The CEM has been terming the chief minister as “dictator” but he himself is acting like a Mukul Khasi,” he said.

Informing that he had immediately submitted a letter of protest to Syiem, Sumer said that he has demanded Syiem to immediately recall and cancel all work orders issued by him in Umsning constituency.

Sumer further questioned the disappearance of the balance of Rs 16 crore after the Council had spent Rs 87 crore which was shared among all the 29 MDCs, and Rs 30 crore for Council’s assets.

“The answer to this is, the money had gone as PDF fund,” he alleged while threatening that he would raised the matter before state level committee headed by the Chief Secretary before taking a call to approach the Niti Aayog.

Reacting to a query, he said that he also demanded the CEM to step down for abusing such a responsible position. “He is being projected as chief ministerial candidate of the PDF but he cannot even handle the affairs of the district council,” Sumer said.

Meanwhile, the UDP MDC also dared the PDF to remove BJP MDC from the Executive Committee in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) if the party claims that it has no connection with the BJP.

“If he (Syiem) is claiming that the PDF is going alone in the upcoming Assembly polls, then he should drop the incumbent EM in-charge of Trade Neil Antonio War, who is the MDC of the BJP,” Sumer said.

On the other hand, the UDP MDC also accused the Syiem-led executive committee in KHADC of fooling the anti-uranium groups by sanctioning only Rs 4.5 crore for repairing of the single-lane road in South West Khasi Hills District.

“Syiem is trying to fool the NGOs by sanctioning only Rs 4.5 crore for the project instead of Rs 25 crore as promised by his EC,” Sumer said adding that this was another tactic of the PDF to gain political mileage ahead of the elections.