Dimapur, Dec. 10 : The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) has alleged that politicians and Naga “political groups” have been protecting those accused in the recent scams in the Food & Supplies department.
However, the Dimapur police should do well to not let that aspect damage the ‘reputation’ of the enforcers, the media cell of the anti-corruption platform stated on Saturday. The ACAUT issued a press release on December 10 demanding that the Nagaland government, the Food & Civil Supplies department and the police department issue clarifications to the public.
The ACAUT said it was ‘fair that the chief minister of Nagaland, the Nagaland police and the department of Food & Civil Supplies indulge the people of Nagaland’ on a number of ‘facts.’
“After the registration of FIR against Mr. Tinku and his Manager Mr. Nirmal Jain, whether the police have made any move to arrest the said persons?” the ACAUT stated.
“No doubt, the accused persons are powerful people, virtually untouchable for the last 2 decades as they’re protected by politicians, Naga Factional Groups (NFGs) and other interest groups but the reputation of Dimapur police however shouldn’t go down the drain.”
The organisation also demanded information whether the police was “under any kind of political pressure to go slow on the FIR?”
If not, the organisation wondered, “Why haven’t the approximately 15-20 mills in and around Dimapur in the business of polishing and repackaging FCI rice still not raided by the police?”
The press release alleged as an “open fact” that the mills were supplied with FCI rice and wheat by stockiest, including the accused, and that the repackaged items were then sold off to gullible consumers as branded rice or wheat.
“Unless, the intention is to weaken the case, the police should have raided the mills on 9th evening itself when the FIR was registered,” the ACAUT remarked.
The organisation also queried whether the Food & Civil Supplies department would cancel the ‘super-stockiest’ license awarded to Tinku ‘in the light of his involvement in this multiple thousand crore scam.’
Similarly, the ACAUT queried whether the bank accounts of the accused persons would be frozen by the police and the taxmen. “This scam is responsible for generating the maximum black money in Nagaland since decades past,” the press release alleged.
To the minister of the department, the chief minister himself, the ACAUT reminded that while his predecessors ‘initiated the scam,’ it was his duty to take action.
The organisation stated: ‘How does the chief minister, who holds the Food and Civil Supplies department, explain the fact that our own rice, due to us at Rs. 3 /- per kg are siphoned off and the same rice resold to us, the consumers, at the rate of Rs. 35/- per kg? To be fair to the present chief minister, his predecessors did initiate this scam but it is incumbent upon the serving CM to come clean with a statement and a promise to give a free hand to Dimapur police to probe the case.’
Last but not the least, the ACAUT added, the NIA should probe the possibility of black money generated from this scam being used to finance armed groups.
The Central Nagaland Tribes’ Council (CNTC) has lauded the ACAUT leadership and colony councils for ‘unearthing’ the multi-crore PDS rice scam at Dimapur “in which some unscrupulous non-local businessmen in connivance with some Nagas have been fleecing the common people for the last couple of decades.”
The CNTC issued a press release on Saturday lauding the governor also, besides listing a number of demands to the government, including investigations and strong prosecution of those involved in the scam.
“The CNTC demands that a thorough and proper investigation be carried out and strongest action on all those involved in the scam. The time is ripened for every right thinking citizens to voice out against such malpractices and crooked transactions which are sucking every morsel from the common man’s plate,” the statement from the CNTC said.
“Many common Naga public had been deprived of various essential commodities like rice, sugar kerosene oil etc. by some crooked and dishonest non-local businessmen like Tinku and Nirmal Jain who are hand in glove with some nefarious local people.”
Further, the CNTC also fully supported the governor of Nagaland PB Acharya for his ‘concern and speaking against about the prevailing corruption in Nagaland which has rotted the very root of our moral fabric and completely deteriorate our integrity.’
Though hundreds of crore are being sanctioned by the central government, the CNTC stated, the pathetic condition of Nagaland’s roads, the issue of unpaid salaries, scams around the mid-day meal and fuel supply tells the mismanagement at every level of governance.
The organisation stated: “Why should anyone be displeased or annoyed with the governor’s straight forwardness of voicing against the corruption culture? Unless every Nagas take corrective measures at the earliest we are doomed and our coming generations will curse and never forgive us. Many legislators and bureaucrats at present as chief guests on various functions harp out lofty speeches about change and voices against corruption but their actions are just the opposite.”
It also stated that mere rhetoric “with colorful phrases and catchy idioms” have all become meaningless and vague now ‘without walking the talk’.
The organisation stated acerbically: “When their deeds don’t follow their words what they say those are all empty clangs and gongs. It has become a sort of amusement for the people as Nagas have become wiser now. Some legislators of late, are acting like a messiah of unity and parroting wonderful make-believe speeches to our Naga society but what they do behind closed doors is just laughable and hilarious.”
The CNTC has demanded cancellation of the ‘tender order’ allotted to Tinku and Nirmal Jain “who had been siphoning the public essential commodities all these while for their own selfish gain.”
‘How can the Food and Civil Supply department allow private individuals to operate such godowns in private establishments other than the FCI designated godowns?’ the organisation queried. It also demanded that an open tender system be floated in all the 73 blocks of the state “so that our educated unemployed Naga youths will be benefitted through this...”
Besides, the CNTC added, essential commodities under the PDS will reach the common people ‘in every nook and corner of the state as they had been deprived of such amenities because of the immoral and decadent practice of some non-local businessmen working hand in gloves with local people.’
