Rajya Sabha MP from Meghalaya, Dr. WR Kharlukhi, on Thursday remarked that Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee President Vincent H. Pala “has guts” for pointing out corruption allegations, specifically linked to an ongoing drug cartel controversy involving Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar. Kharlukhi highlighted the high stakes involved, stating, “If he (Pala) is wrong, he will be poorer by Rs 100 crores, but if he is right, the Deputy Chief Minister will be in jail.”
Kharlukhi further elaborated, “Now, it is in court. If Pala is wrong, he will lose Rs 100 crores, but if he is right, under the Narcotics Act, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar will be in jail for seven years.”
The MP stressed that corruption investigations should span across governments, not just the present administration. “The allegation on the drug cartel is not needed now as it is in the hands of the court. The government is abstract; pinpoint the person in that department who is corrupt,” Kharlukhi said.
When questioned about the Hynniewtrep Youth Council’s (HYC) accusations of corruption within the Housing Department, Kharlukhi emphasized the need for specificity: “Housing – you pinpoint who is the person there. Housing is a department; who is the person there? Why do people shy away from bringing out the individual? That’s why I say Pala may be right or he may be wrong, but at least the state Congress president has guts. It should be like this. You find out who is corrupt, and I will support it.”
These remarks come amid ongoing scrutiny of the NPP-led MDA government, which has faced criticism for issuing supply orders worth crores without proper tender processes. HYC, citing RTI findings, alleged that the Housing Department granted supply orders to Kolkata-based Hariana Iron Works Pvt. Ltd without following due procedure.