SHILLONG:
The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has submitted a report on the recent raid in the farmhouse of its vice-president Bernard Marak and his subsequent arrest from Uttar Pradesh to its central leadership.
“When the incident had happened, the Centre had instructed me to do some investigation. I have already sent the report to them and now we are waiting for their feedback,” said state BJP chief, Ernest Mawrie, on August 14.
He, however, maintained that the raid was an act of “political vendetta” against the Tura MDC. “Even our Meghalaya in charge and national vice president M Chuba Ao, had given a statement that Bernard was framed and that observation came after he conducted an investigation through sources and independent people who resides around Tura and Garo Hills,” said Mawrie.
Earlier on July 22, West Garo Hills police had busted a prostitution racket at Bernard’s farmhouse, Rimpu Bagan, which led to the arrest of 73 persons and rescue of five children besides seizure of liquors and unused contraceptives. After the Tura MDC’s subsequent arrest, the party had demanded for an independent probe into the incident.
The state BJP chief also informed that Bernard’s family members are in the process of moving bail.
After Bernard’s arrest, speculations were rife that BJP will pull out of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA). But Mawrie, putting rest to all such “hypothesis”, said that such a decision will transpire only at the behest of the party’s central leadership.
“We cannot just give statements that we are going to withdraw from the government because such an instruction will from the central leadership. They will examine the matter and will take it up at an appropriate time,” said Mawrie.