Meghalaya CM rubbishes Alphons

Sohra (Meghalaya), Oct 27 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Friday rubbished Union Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons accusing him of "stealing people's money" and said it requires legal examination.

"This type of allegation will require legal examination. What does he mean by 'stealing people's money'," Sangma asked while speaking to IANS.

Alphons, on Thursday was in Sohra, the wettest place on earth. He addressed BJP's public rally to drum up support for his party in the next year's assembly elections. He also allayed fears and apprehension that the BJP was "anti-Christian".

"He (Sangma) has made promises to the state and people of Meghalaya that he would do many things. But all that he has done is stealing money from the people and this shall not continue," Alphons told journalists after addressing the public meeting.

The former bureaucrat-turned Union Minister, however, said that the Bharatiya Janata Party keeps its promises that it makes to the people.

"Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has delivered to the people of India an amazing administration and his focus has been pro-poor.

"The people of Meghalaya need education, they need opportunities for the young people to work here and all this can happened if we have a corruption-free government and that can happened only if the BJP comes to power," he said.

Describing Meghalaya as one of the most beautiful place on earth, Alphons said, "It (Meghalaya) has got immense potential for tourism but nobody comes here because there is no basic infrastructure. All this can be created only if there is an honest government which is committed to the people."

"The Congress is completely cheating the people of Meghalaya and there is a need to change of government. If BJP was given a chance to lead the government, it would provide an honest administration, which would work for the welfare of the people," he added.

Allaying public fears that the BJP was "anti-Christian", Alphons declared that Modi has been a "great protector" of Christians in India, and he shall "continue to protect them".

"A lot of people asked me that being a Christian why am I joining this party? People were angry with me. They said if Modi comes to power, churches will be burnt and destroyed and Christians will be beaten up.

"In the three-and-a-half years since Modi became Prime Minister, has any church anywhere in India been burnt or destroyed? The answer is NO. Not one church in India has been touched by the BJP government. Has any Christian anywhere in India been beaten up? The answer is NO," Alphons said.