The Meghalaya government has responded firmly to Gaurav Gogoi, the Assam Congress president, rejecting his allegations that state-sponsored syndicates are facilitating illegal coal trading and drug trafficking. Describing Gogoi’s claims as mere “pre-election theatrics,” Paul Lyngdoh, a Cabinet Minister and spokesman for the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), asserted that such accusations are typical of electioneering, especially with Assembly polls on the horizon.
Lyngdoh expressed no surprise at Gogoi’s comments, pointing out that the major political parties in Assam, namely the BJP and Congress, often engage in mutual allegations as they compete for power. He specifically criticized Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Gogoi for utilizing Meghalaya as “collateral damage” in their ongoing political rivalry.
According to Lyngdoh, Meghalaya has unfairly become a scapegoat due to its geographical closeness to Assam. He predicted that post-elections, the rhetoric from Assam’s political leadership would undoubtedly shift dramatically.
This reaction from the MDA follows Gogoi’s sharp critique of the BJP-led NDA governments in both Assam and Meghalaya. Gogoi claimed that illegal coal mining and drug trafficking are being supported by politically shielded syndicates and called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into these pressing issues. He referenced findings from the Enforcement Directorate, suggesting that a cross-border syndicate comprising individuals from both states has been manipulating documents to enable trucks carrying illegal coal to transit through the Meghalaya-Assam border without facing any barriers.
Gogoi maintained that those in positions of power are complicit in this illicit operation and reiterated his demand for an independent investigation by the central agency.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2025/05/31/paul-bins-gogois-coal-syndicate-allegations-as-pre-poll-theatrics/
Category: MEGHALAYA
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Publish Date: 2025-05-31 03:39:00
