Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sep 23: The Meghalaya minister for PHE, Soil and Water Conservation, Housing, etc. Marcuise N Marak, in the presence of East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Vibhor Aggarwal and other officials of the district, inaugurated a six-day workshop, from September 23 to 27, on various arts under the Chapter III Simsanggre of the Umbrella Project of the Art and Culture Department with the theme, “Exploring Boundaries” at Loyola College, Williamnagar, on September 23, 2024.

Highlighting the initiatives taken by the government to provide assistance to the youth, Marcuise informed that the project is a promising one to the youth to tap their skills and talent in various fields of arts. The workshop was aimed at providing tools to the youth and urged the youth to become entrepreneurs.

East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Vibhor Aggarwal, while speaking on the occasion, said that preserving art and culture of a particular community is a collective responsibility and urged the participants to be attentive in the workshop to tap their respective talent.

The workshop will be filmmaking, script writing, theatre, traditional stringed instruments and art in a community the objective of which is to introduce new evolving mediums to the local masses and also to revive and retain the uniqueness of the indigenous people.

The others who spoke on the occasion included the principal of Loyola College and the filmmaker, Dominic M Sangma.

The chief guest of the occasion also distributed tablet PCs to the toppers of this year’s HSSLC examinations in the district.

On the day the welcome and key-note address was delivered by the District Librarian, Suzeanna Marak. The minister, later on the day, also inaugurated a honey processing centre at Dawa Chipitgre locality of Williamnagar.

Staff Reporter

Shillong, April 5: Social activist Tennydard M Marak has filed an FIR against Cabinet Minister and Williamnagar legislator Marcuise N Marak for alleged corrupt practices and violation of the model code of conduct in the recently held 2023 Assembly elections.

The FIR was filed with the Williamnagar police station in East Garo Hills District.

Tennydard had also filed a complaint petition before the Chief Election Commissioner of India on March 23, with copies to the Prime Minister of India, Home Minister as well as Chairman of the North East Democratic Alliance requesting their intervention into the matter and take necessary steps to declare the election of Marcuise N Marak to be void for adopting corrupt practices and holding a fresh election in Williamnagar constituency.

In the FIR, the activist alleged that Marcuise N Marak had circulated the Report Card of 2018-2022 on his activities during the last five years during the election campaigns.

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“What is shocking to note that Marcuise N Marak had circulated the report card (which was) printed and published by Jesubell Ch Marak (block secretary, NPP) on February 3, whereas the model code of conduct imposed by the Election Commission is in operation in the state with effect from January 18, thereby amounts to a clear violation of the model code of conduct and therefore, his election deserves to be declared as illegal and fresh election be held,” he said.

Stating that Marcuise has not only deceived the voters of Williamnagar but also a case of breach of trust, Tennydard said the report card is just a blatant violation of the model code of conduct by the MLA.

He further alleged that the report card contained a false and fabricated report of achievement during 2018-2022 but contains no agenda of what he will do if he is elected and thereby misguided the voters by showing his fabricated performance report which has no foot to stand.

“The report card also exposed the true picture of his zero performance report so to say as the works are either incomplete or not done anything at all but claimed to have done it. The pictures given in my petition to the Chief Election Commissioner of India will reveal the truth of my claim,” he said while adding that “The report card claims to have done beautification of the Williamnagar Girls Secondary School is nothing but a blatantly false and fabricated claim of Marcuise N Marak. If you visit the school today you will find the actual truth of his false claim as the school has a boundary wall with rotten rested C.I. Sheets and most importantly the Girls have no gate which is a must for any school.”

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Tennydard said he has waited for more than 10 days but unfortunately no action has been initiated till date for such an important issue.

“Under compelling circumstances, I am filing this FIR with enough prima facie evidence so that the police can verify the truth and initiate appropriate steps after due investigation and book him under the proper section of the law and leave an example of rule of law that “nobody is above the law” before the society at large - which is the need of the present hour,” he said while requesting the police to register a case under the proper section of the law and initiate strictest action against the guilty without wasting any further loss of time.