By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Reiterating their demand for removal of Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh for her alleged involvement in the manipulation and tampering of marks in the job scam unearthed by the CBI, anti-graft activists and local NGOs on Monday demanded scraping of all appointments made during her tenure as the education minister.
The demand was made at a public meeting convened by the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) in the city as a mark to protest against the policy adopted by the government’s department in the recruitment for the assistant lower primary schools teachers in the state.
Majority of the speakers warned the Government not to play with the future of genuine candidates who deserved to be appointed as assistant teachers in the Government-run lower primary schools.
FKJGP president Jo Marwein in his speech said that the former Education Minister should immediately be removed from the Cabinet “since she has been named as the main accused in the CBI report.”
Marwein said being a teacher herself, it is shocking to see that she (Ampareen) has played with the future of the thousands of young candidates by appointing unqualified people as assistant teachers by tampering the score sheets.
“I do not think she has any right to continue to hold such important position in the Government since her integrity is in serious doubt,” FKJGP president said.
He also lambasted the State Government for not taking any action against the Minister and other legislators who have confessed that they had made recommendations for the appointment.
“The NGOs had even filed an FIR with the police for initiating criminal proceedings against the Minister, legislators and others who were mentioned in the CBI report. But sadly, the Government has not taken cognizance of the FIR,” Marwein said.
The KSU president Daniel Khyriem, while warning the Government not to play with the future of genuine candidates said, “If there is any foul play on the part of the Government to deny the genuine candidates from getting appointments, we would not hesitate to launch massive agitational programmes”.
While lauding the candidates who filed the petition before the court, he said because of them the glaring irregularities in the appointment of assistant teachers had come to light.
On the other hand, the Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO) president Agnes Kharshiing said that the CBI might have been influenced by politicians, because of which it has failed to register a case for further investigation.
Kharshiing also threatened to file an FIR against the Chief Minister if he delays to take action against the ministers and legislators alleged to be involved in the scam.
The HNYF general secretary Sadon K Blah said that Meghalaya is the only State in the country which dumped the report of the CBI.
“Even the Centre would initiate action on the basis of the findings of the CBI report. The decision to dump the CBI report is itself an indication that the Government is trying to shield those who are involved in the scam,” Blah said.
While expressing concern over the rampant corruption in the State, he said that the State needs to have a vibrant State Vigilance Commission or Meghalaya Lokayukta in line with the Lok Pal Bill to address the issue of corruption in the State.
Meghalaya Right to Information Movement (MRTIM) member Angela Rangad attacked the Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma for attempting to protect former Education Minister and other legislators.
“It is foolishness on the part of the Chief Minister to ask for the source of the leak of the report instead of taking action against those involved in the scam,” Rangad said.
While criticizing the legislators for justifying their action in making recommendations, she said, “Instead of being ashamed, it is surprised to see that the legislators are justifying the crimes they have committed. They (legislators) even dared to question if they have done anything wrong by making recommendations”.