EMN
DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 12
Naghaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) said the statements of Dr Benjongliba, minister for Agriculture and his supporters that appeared in a section of local dailies on December 9 and 10 and also that of Director Horticulture on December 12 are purely misleading with an attempt to hoodwink the people after siphoning off public funds. The NPCC claimed the allegations against the minister and the Horticulture department are based on concrete evidences collected through assembly questions and RTI applications which have badly exposed the scheming of privileged few in power to extract huge amount of public money in the garb of developmental activities.
“To set the records straight, Dr Benjongliba, the Agri Minister at the centre of controversy arising from his previous position as state government official had met the CLP Leader on November 29, 2014 at Legislature Home, Kohima and had requested our CLP Leader to stop pursuing the Horticulture issue. The minister was politely told that the issue was now in the public domain and would need a logical conclusion. Therefore, the question of forgiveness between the individuals does not arise since the issue is of immense public interest,” the NPCC stated.
The NPCC then said contrary to the tall claims of the Agriculture minister and his self perceived assertion that the issue is a ‘gimmick of the opposition’ and an attempt to topple the government, the details of Axis Bank Account 910010016607364 (Kohima Branch) statement portrays a different story from which the minister cannot refute or escape.
The minister instead of issuing needless statements claiming his innocence would do better to answer certain things, the NPCC stated. It said the minister should openly come out as to whether he operated Axis Bank Account 910010016607364 (Kohima Branch) after he demitted office on 10th Jan 2013.
The NPCC also said whe had withdrawn Rs. 30 lacs on 17/01/2013 vide cheque no 76128, Rs. 15 lacs on 18/01/2013 vide cheque no 76129 and Rs. 15 lacs on 19/01/2013 vide cheque no 76130. These three transactions totaling Rs. 60 lacs were in withdrawal of Cash to Self after demitting office.
It further said how he deposited cash amounting to Rs. 70,01,662/- and Rs. 52,22,626/ on 11/01/2013 and to indicate source of cash received and deposited.
“Issued cheque to 14 individuals from 11/01/2013 to 28/01/2013 after he demitted office on January 10, 2013. Who are these beneficiaries?,” the NPCC asked. “When the Director of Income Tax (Intelligence) from Guwahati had enquired about high value cash transaction from Axis Bank Account 910010016607364 (Kohima Branch) addressed to the Mission Director Horticulture on 30/10/2013, what prompted him to give reply to the Director of Income Tax (Intelligence) when he was already a Parliamentary Secretary on 18/11/2013?” it further questioned.
According to the NPCC, in total contrast to the claims of Dr Benjongliba, the present Director Horticulture in her letter to the Commissioner & Secretary Horticulture on 07/11/2013 on the high value cash transaction stated that she was not aware about the Mission Director (HTMNE) Axis Bank Account 910010016607364 (Kohima Branch), as the same was never communicated to her during/after taking charge of both the office (Mission Director & Director). The Horticulture department has also denied having any knowledge about Axis Bank Account 910010016607364 (Kohima Branch) in an RTI reply furnished by Dr RE Lotha, Deputy Director & PIO. “Therefore, the question as to who opened and operated Axis Bank Account 910010016607364 (Kohima Branch) needs to be seriously probed,” it demanded.
The NPCC then said the present Director of Horticulture cannot escape responsibility by knowingly defending and justifying the wrong actions of her predecessor when Dr Benjongliba himself has reiterated again and again that some vested interest within the department had supplied information to the opposition party. The Director should not cite the usual escape route of citing government policy matters and set procedures as the case involving Dr Benjongliba will unearth a plethora of officials in the government and political leaders who connived to loot public funds.
“If at all Dr Benjongliba has an iota of sensibility in public life, he should honorably and voluntarily step down on his own from the ministerial position so that free and fair investigations can be carried out by the investigating agencies without any fear or favour. If he is innocent as he repeatedly claims to be, then he has nothing to fear and let the law take its own course without casting aspersions on the integrity of law enforcing agencies” the NPCC
Talking about forgiving the leaders of opposition party for doing their duties, the minister should rather seek forgiveness from Almighty God and the people for abusing his position and chair to benefit himself at the expense of public money, it stated. The testimonies of his corrupt activities as an officer in state government service before becoming a politician is officially available in the public domain for all to witness. “Shamelessly clinging on to ministerial chair and issuing hilarious justifications in blaming vested interest within the department and the opposition party will not convince the public who are fervently hoping and praying that the law of land take its own course of action to punish corrupt leaders and officials,” the NPCC also demanded.
