Dimapur, Dec. 18: Members of ACUAT Nagaland on Sunday submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through Governor PB Acharya placing a demand for CBI enquiry into the alleged PDS scams in the State’s Food and Civil Supplies department “spanning almost two decades”.
ACAUT representatives and the Governor met inside Nagaland Police Complex, Chumukedima on Sunday afternoon. In the memorandum, ACAUT has suggested that ‘this PDS scam could be the largest (of) such in the whole country’.
Besides a narration of the sequence of events that occurred after and before the unravelling of the alleged PDS rice pilferage, ACAUT has also submitted RTI findings related to alleged diversion of SK oil and wheat in the state’s Food and Civil Supplies department. After the meeting, Acharya told reporters that “as a governor it is my duty to forward it (the memorandum”.
In a democracy, he said, ‘demonstrations and memoranda are allowed but the citizens should also not take the law into their hands’.
Conversely, the State Government should not misunderstand any movement that is for the people, the Governor said. “It is my government and I appeal the government to find out the corrupt people with iron hand and held the NGOs who are helping in catching them.”
He said he has full faith ‘in the capacity of the government to take action against the wrong doers’. Citing the case of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s decision to remove the chairman of Assam Public Service Commission for his alleged involvement in a cash-for-jobs scam, Acharya said: “I am sure that our government under TR Zeliang will also not lag behind in taking action against the wrong doers.”
On the allegation by ACAUT that the government had tried to “repress” their agitation, he said the ACAUT must be able to prove it in court. “You prove it in court. If somebody files an appeal, whether it was right or wrong will be decided by the court.”
Acharya also said certain people had ‘this imaginary thing that the governor is against the government’ because he had called it corrupted. “I simply said that there is corruption in Nagaland. I stand by that statement.”
ACAUT lauds
ACAUT Nagaland lauded the overwhelming support and concerns expressed and shown by various organisations and people from all walks of life, irrespective of tribes, creed and colour, during its signature campaign from December 13 to 14 and the peaceful public rally on December 15.
In a release, the media cell of ACAUT said the “stiff opposition and brute force of the government was responded with true grit and resolve”.
ACAUT Nagaland also made special mention of the courage exhibited by the mothers and women folks who protected their men folks by encircling and covering them thereby taking the direct onslaught of the water cannon, tear gas and lathi charge. The bravery shown by the mothers and the women folks have demonstrated that the prayers of thousands of mothers are with ACAUT, further strengthening its resolve to fight harder in the fight against corruption, the release stated.
It also appreciated the efforts of the NGOs particularly Lotha HoHo Dimapur, NTC Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen’s Federation (DUCCF) and few other individuals for their tireless effort to reach out to RZ Lotha on the current imbroglio.
