DIMAPUR, JUNE 9 (MExN): The Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) today expressed “shock” at the behavior of Minister for Rural Development, CL John, when the former raised questions on backdoor appointments made in the RD department. A press note from PSAN alleged that the Minister, in response to questions regarding backdoor appointments, had stated that “these were not 'backdoor' appointments but rather 'political' appointments which were normal and there was nothing wrong with it.”
The PSAN further quoted the Minister as having allegedly said "you cannot reduce the powers of ministers by asking us to stop making political appointments."
It questioned whether the so-called political appointments made by politicians cannot be termed as 'backdoor' appointments. “If so, what is the meaning of 'backdoor' appointment according to him?” It reminded the Minister that his foremost duty is to serve the very public “whom he does not have any respect for, as clearly understood through his unexpected and uncalled-for actions in his chamber today.”
“Sadly, this very mindset runs among most of the politicians of today who run the job bazaar in exchange for votes,” it lamented and asked what part/article of the Constitution of India provides for unabated, unethical, opaque and rampant backdoor appointment 'rights' to the ministers and bureaucrats.
PSAN, through various RTI queries and plain observation, finds that the Department of Rural Development is one of the “dirtiest departments” under the Government of Nagaland with “numerous backdoor appointments and rampant corruption,” it alleged.
It further informed that since the present Minister took over the department, “only 4 BDO posts have been requisitioned to NPSC despite RTI replies clearly proving the existence of vacancies, many of which have been occupied on 'backdoor' or 'political' contractual basis, which completely disregards Article 16 of the Constitution of India...”
The practice of backdoor appointment, it stated, is pushing the government departments backwards as most backdoor appointees are undeserving and inefficient in the discharge of their duties. The PSAN asked the Minister to “either come clean and justify his statements or apologize to the people of Nagaland.” It further challenged him to an open debate on the mentioned issue “if he still feels that backdoor appointments/political appointments are the absolute rights of politicians.”
