Zunheboto, April 13 (MExN): The BJP Zunheboto District and the NDPP Zunheboto Region is constrained today clarified that Advisor Pukhayi Sumi, the local MLA of 34th Aghunato Assembly Constituency, along with Area elders and Adhoc Town Committee members had procured some rice and distributed the same in Aghunato “without favouritism or bias and not as alleged.”
The two party units - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Zunheboto District and the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) Zunheboto Region are part of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) Coordination Committee in Zunheboto District.
The clarification came a day after the BJP Aghunato unit questioned the modalities distribution of rice to a particular locality of Aghunato Town on April 8 in an open letter to Pukhayi, Advisor to Food & Civil Supply, Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection and Department of Taxes.
In press release appended by the NDPP Zunheboto Region President, Khehoshe Yeptho and BJP Zunheboto District President informed, the Committee said that the clarification is being issued after facts were “ascertained” from the District Administration and the Assistant Director of Supply Zunheboto.
According to the clarification, the Supply Department Zunheboto normal allocation of rice has been released as per receipt from the central store and the free rice under Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) for Aghunato.
Out of 150 quintals allotted, 120 have been dispatched on April 13 and the remaining 30 quintals will be dispatched on April 14.
As the rice allotted for free distribution from the NSDMA is under the purview of the district Administration, the Deputy Commissioner Zunheboto has also clarified that this rice was dispatched on April 13 for further distribution to the needy persons, the committee said.
The populace of Nagaland is aware that irrespective of political party, many BJP, NPF and NDPP MLAs have procured rice on their own initiative and distributed free rice in their own constituencies during the lockdown period in the state, it noted.
Pukhayi being the local MLA of 34-Aghunato AC along with Area elders and Adhoc Town Committee members “procured some rice which was distributed at Aghunato without favouritism or bias and not as alleged,” the committee maintained in the clarification.
In this connection, the committee appealed all its subordinate units to refrain from posting matters to the media without first ascertaining the facts from the concerned authorities so as to avoid misunderstanding within the grand Alliance.
