Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 15
Following the expiry of the 10-day deadline given to the state government for immediate intervention into the illegal appointments made in the Home Department numbering 3930 during the last five years, the Chakhesang Students’ Union (CSU) has on Sunday announced that it will proceed to seek recourse for legal action.
Addressing a press conference at the LCS Building, Kohima today, CSU officials highlighted that the union had filed RTI under RTI Act 2005 on August 20 last in the department in regard to recruitments from 2010 till date, and the subsequent information given by the department’s APIO indicated rampant practices of illegal appointments being made in the department. The organization initially submitted a representation to the government through the Director General of Police (DGP) in the same month, but was not taken seriously while interacting with the official, CSU alleged. Subsequently, they said a representation was given to the Chief Minister TR Zeliang on November 4 with copies of the same dispatched to the Governor, Home Commissioner and the DGP for the state government to immediately intervene and cancel the illegal appointments in the interest of the public. The organization had, in the representation, given a 10-day ultimatum for the government to act against the corrupt practice in the department, which ended on November 14.
“To the knowledge of the union, the government has not taken any heed to our demand, so we will start making necessary preparations to fight against this corrupt practice through the legal system,” Seve R Vadeo, CSU president said.
He said the CSU highly appreciated the Governor and the Chief Minister for making clarion calls in the media for the citizens to come together and combat corruption during Vigilance Week observation. Stating that CSU had hoped that their representation would be met with positively, he pointed out that rather, it ended up seeking an audience with the Chief Minister (through his PRO and PS) to discuss the issue, which was never granted.
“We will not be organizing any protests or rallies against the inaction of the government. Ten days was enough for the government to show their interest in tackling the issue but now that the deadline is over, the union will not entertain any discussion,” Vadeo said, adding that the CSU will now look to the decision of the court.
The CSU officials also informed that they have the forms for filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and a legal team ready and they are in the process of drafting necessary preparations to fight corruption with legal means. The case will be filed in the Gauhati High Court, it was learnt.
Stating that it will be an “uphill battle”, the union officials has sought the prayers and moral support of all like-minded organizations and individuals, acknowledging that the fight against corruption needs collective effort of the society to go forward without bias.
The CSU also expressed dismay that despite the concern apparently raised by the state cabinet in its meeting in November 2014 on excess appointment in Police department as per a Home Department memo which was circulated to the DGP by the then Home Commissioner, and the subsequent directive to the DGP to enforce ban on fresh appointments and conduct of monthly report on reduction of excess strength in the department, the figure quoted in the memo - 1423 personnel “in excess of the sanctioned strength” - had shot up to a whooping 3930 till date according to the RTI detail availed by the union.
They also stressed that this is not about people from the Chakhesang community alone being deprived, but about fighting corrupt practices that are depriving deserving Naga youth of opportunities to compete and earn their positions through hard work. CSU is of the view that so long as the backdoor appointment issue is around, the future of the student community particularly the promising students will remain compromised.
On why it targeted the Home Department, the CSU officials said it was the department where the number of illegal practices was the highest. They also acknowledged that there are many people from their own community that figured amongst the 3930 illegally appointed employees in the department.
“We tend to point at one organization or the other for not taking up issues… Backdoor appointments issue is a deep concern for many, including the CSU and we have decided to act against it,” said one of the officials. Remarking that court proceedings tend to get prolonged and it will take a long time and effort for one organization alone to take all the departments that have rampant corrupt practices to court, the CSU officials expressed that it is their hope that other likeminded organizations will also step forward and take up the issue with other departments.
The CSU officials present at the press conference include the president Seve Vadeo, general secretary Ngapunyi Krocha, AGS Vevochulu Nyekha, speaker Dode Nakro, deputy speaker Vipani, and assembly secretary Rite Khutso.
It was learnt that copies of the CSU’s findings and representation were given to the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF). However, NSF officials could not be contacted to give the federation’s stand towards the step that the CSU is contemplating to take.
