DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 15 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has stated that the clarification issued by the current PAC Chairman, L Temjen Jamir and IGP (Hqr) Lungriading, IPS in response to the charges of NPCC on fraudulent drawal in Police deptt and missing arms & ammunition cases respectively, were only “damage control exercise that could never remove the deep seated scar on the DAN government in these two issues”.
“Unfortunately, the figures in respect of 7th and 8th NAP Bn appeared together in the column of 6th NAP Bn, otherwise the figures (1 No of 7.62 SLR lost in 2008 in r/o 7th NAP Bn, 9 Nos of 7.62 SLR, 10 rds of 7.62 BDR lost in 2005 and 1 No of 7.62 SLR lost in 2008 in r/o 8th NAP Bn) remains the same as published”, stated a press note issued by the NPCC.
On the fraudulent drawal of Rs 18 crores case, the NPCC stated that it had questioned as to how the PAC could be headed by the brother of the accused and not as understood by the current PAC Chairman. “The time when the previous PAC Chairman was appointed is not an issue because it is considered improper in the eyes of the law to let someone related to the accused to involve in the case, no matter how good the intention might be”.
On the physical verification of arms and ammunitions claimed to have been carried out almost simultaneously in all the units, the NPCC stated that the report is subject to further public scrutiny. “Therefore, the NPCC will comment on it only when the report is made public”.
Stating that the “veiled threat issued by the current PAC Chairman that leveling further allegations could invite more problems was dictatorial”, the NPCC pointed out that this also proved that further investigation will prove more. “The PAC as an institution is sacrosanct and it is the expectation of the people of a democratic country, that its members uphold its sanctity and integrity”.
The NPCC stated that if the PAC is a composition of both the treasury and opposition benches, the PAC Chairman should refrain from making political statements against the NPCC. “He should know as to who is defiling the sanctity of PAC”.
Stating that the PAC was not above the law, the NPCC pointed out that the rights of the people as guaranteed in the constitution of India will not be suppressed by veiled threat. “Much as the current PAC Chairman wanted to close the chapter, the fact remains that, if the people are not satisfied with the investigation report, the matter is still open for further investigation by higher investigating agency through legal recourse or change of guard at an opportune time”.
The NPCC has also asked the current PAC Chairman whether it can deny that by instituting the High Powered Committee (HPC) or any other investigation committee for the case not caused preventable loss to the state exchequer?
“Wasn’t that an issue of public importance? If the DAN govt knows the art of governance as claimed by the PAC Chairman, how did procedural lapses/ irregularities as admitted by the HPC occur?”
The NPCC stated that this was an attempt to divert the public attention from the issue by trying to show off his knowledge of parliamentary democracy and pointing out that this was an embarrassment to the people of Nagaland.
