Ampareen breaks silence l‘My detractors are behind this entire drama’
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: After remaining silent for more than ten days after a CBI report virtually indicted her for destroying the original merit list of government teachers’ recruitment results and preparing a fresh list, illegally, Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Tuesday cast aspersions on the education department official JD Sangma by saying that his statement, which was quoted in the CBI report, cannot be taken as truth.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Lyngdoh while denying her involvement in the scam asserted that she never issued any ‘unlawful order’ to any official working in the education department during the LP school teachers’ selection process.
While terming the statement made by Sangma, the then Director, School Education and Literacy earlier known as Director Elementary and Mass Education before the CBI as “uncorroborated”, the minister expressed shock over the allegations.
“Nowhere in the CBI report, was it alleged that the Minister, directly or indirectly, influenced the officials of the department either to tamper, manipulate or modify the list of the selected candidates, except in the uncorroborated statement of Sangma, the then Director of DEME,” Lyngdoh said.
It may be mentioned that the CBI in its 107-page report said, “It was felt necessary to examine JD Sangma , the then Director DEME . In course of his examination Sangma has stated that under the instruction of then minister of education namely Ampareen Lyngdoh, he had to change the score sheets as prepared by all the above noted five boards duly applying white fluid on the original marks, as awarded by the members of the Board . Sangma also handed over a file containing the list received by the said minister from different persons/ MLAs/ Ministers recommending the names of the candidates for selection as teacher in LP schools of Meghalaya.”
The CBI report further mentioned, “Sangma has further disclosed that based on the aforesaid letters/slips of paper containing recommendation in respect of candidates for appointment as LP school teachers, he with the help of two more persons (identity not known to him) who were supporters of the education minister applied white fluid on the score sheet and inflated the number of candidates ordered to be appointed by the education minister. The said work of tampering of score sheet was partially made at the residence of minister and at his official residence.”
The CBI added , “after ascertaining the above noted fact from Sangma , the file which was handed over by Sangma containing letters/slips of paper recommending names of the candidate was scrutinized”.
However, Lyngdoh said, “If an uncorroborated statement of an official is the basis for all the allegations leveled against me, then no politician would ever be able to function in our democratic polity and no minister would like to be at the mercy of an official who gives statements as per his whims and fancies.”
According to her, the CBI in its report said, “however the boards, so formed, for interviewing the candidates, did not take the interview of the candidates in all the aforesaid centers.” The CBI report at para 5 of its conclusion, sub clause (V), clearly stated that “prima facie”, it appears that the tampering was done in the office of the Director, Elementary and Mass Education (DEME) department.
The Minister also said that the High Court in its order on August 16 and CBI report did not give “credibility” to the statement of Sangma and claimed that she has been exonerated from these charges.
“My detractors are behind this entire drama,” she said adding that it is evident to any prudent mind from the fact that select portions of the statement of the education officer was delivered to the media. “The other contents and the clear conclusions reported by the CBI were “suppressed” and why this happened is a million dollar question,” she said.
“This demand for my resignation by vested interests remains questionable, especially in the backdrop of available facts on the case by a credible authority like the CBI,”she said.