SHILLONG, MARCH 18: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has iterated its allegation that the use of money power influenced the results of the recently-held Assembly elections which, the party’s working president Paul Lyngdoh, felt should be a matter of even greater concern than the problem of insurgency facing the state.
Participating in the debate on the governor’s address in the Assembly on Monday, Lyngdoh said the entire democratic process was being subverted because of the increased abuse of money power during the elections. “It is not the head or the heart of the people that were seen playing while electing the members to the House, but it was the hand and the depth of the pocket… This trend poses more danger than that the activities of the underground outfits,” he said.
The UDP leader sought to ridicule the government for taking credit for the peaceful conduct of the elections.  “The matter of concern is whether the poll was actually free and fair or not…There has been major erosion in the quality of people being elected. This is mainly due to the abuse of money power, which is a subversion of democracy,” he said.
Lyngdoh attributed the growing incidents of crime against women to the failed education system in the state. “Education has failed to teach ethics to the students. When we talk about education, I understand two things first: teach a person how to live; and number two, teach him how to make a living.  The present system has failed miserably to meet these two aspects,” he said.
The UDP working president also asked the government to be transparent in dealing with issue of illegal immigration.  “Illegal immigration issue is serious and we should be able to tackle the demographical attack on the indigenous tribal. The government should advertise in the media on the detention of illegal immigrants and where they have been deported to,” he said.
Making his maiden speech, Titosstarwell Chyne, the MLA from Sohra, said the government should minimize the issue of licenses to liquor shops. “Assam has banned the sale of gutka and other stuff that is harmful to the health, I request the excise department not to issue license to wine shops, especially in the areas close to school and religious institutions”.
He also said that people of Sohra sub-division had a great hope of getting new district, but were disheartened with the government for not upgrading Sohra, which is one of the oldest sub-divisions in the state, into a district. -By Our Reporters
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