Kohima, March 31 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front today stated that the deep-rooted corruption in the society is “all-pervading” and needs the concerted efforts of everyone to eradicate it.
Replying to ACAUT’s challenge for public debate on corruption, a statement from the Media & Press Bureau, NPF Central Office, Kohima maintained that the NPF “does not defend or condone any kind of corruption in the system”. “The deep-rooted corruption in the society is all-pervading and needs concerted efforts of everyone to eradicate it,” the NPF asserted adding, “This cannot be done in a short period of time, and we cannot expect miracles to happen right in front of our eyes.”
It insisted that providing good governance to the people is the professed and avowed stand of the NPF-led DAN Government and claimed that the President and Chief Minister, in several closed door meetings with senior party functionaries and party legislators, had warned of stern action against those involved in corrupt practices.
The NPF Media Bureau further charged that ACAUT of being “grossly off the mark” when it alleged there are Press Secretaries to the Chief Minister drawing Government salaries and working in the Media & Press Bureau of the NPF Central Office.
“The Bureau has sincere and dedicated party functionaries who voluntarily render their services to the party and the people without expecting or drawing any pecuniary benefits from the Government,” it stated and clarified that the Press Secretary or Media Officers to the Chief Minister are appointed on a co-terminus basis. “And it is the discretion of any Chief Minister to appoint persons of his choice and no procedural lapses are involved in these appointments,” it maintained.
“Moreover, those attached to the Chief Minister need not necessarily mean they are manning the Media & Press Bureau of the party, and/ or even if they are involved in the functioning of the party affairs it is nothing out of the ordinary since they are political appointees,” the Media Bureau argued.
With regard to the demand for declaration of assets, NPF reminded the ACAUT leaders that every contesting candidate to the Assembly elections declare their property/assets, moveable or immovable, on affidavit papers before the Election Commission and are displayed for public consumption.
Further expressing “wonder” as to how ACAUT had deduced the population of Nagaland as “not more than 12 lakhs”, NPF pointed to the 2011 Census and asked ACAUT to get their facts and figures right. According to the 2011 Census, the population of Nagaland stands at 19,78,502.
