From Our Correspondent
TURA: A veterinarian who has been holding the post of BDO for ages in Selsella only to be shunted out by the Election Commission during the February state elections was greeted by a hostile crowd when he returned to the post on Wednesday.
The said officer had managed to take possession of his former post after the present BDO and a Meghalaya Civil Service officer was pushed out to Betasing block in South West Garo Hills district.
However, Dr Roy’s return to the same BDO’s post in Selsella has not been found acceptable by NGOs and the general public of the region who are demanding that the previous MCS officer be reinstated.
Angry women protestors, village elders along with local student and social groups of Selsella have refused to accept Dr Roy as their new BDO. They allegedly accosted him when he went to take charge of his work and demanded he leave. They accused him of using political patronage to get back as the BDO of Selsella and questioned his alleged involvement in the 2007 block scam which led to the resignation of the then C&RD minister Beckstar K Sangma and removal of several BDOs including Dr Roy and Dr N Bora of Selsella and Tikrikilla, respectively.
The block scam was unearthed by then Tura MP Purno A Sangma during his inspection of central projects undertaken by the development blocks.
It was found that central funds to the tune of several lakhs were allegedly siphoned off by BDOs and their political masters in several blocks.
The public of Selsella have protested the sudden transfer of the present Selsella BDO, Albert G Momin, MCS. Hailing from the 2012 batch of MCS officers, Momin had been given charge of Selsella block for a little over three months when he was suddenly given the marching orders and posted out to Betasing block.
He had taken over as the BDO of Selsella in February at the height of the state elections after the Election Commission of India removed Dr Roy from his post. Dr Roy had allegedly been serving as BDO of Selsella for over ten long years.
Angry with the decision to reinstate Dr Roy, the public and NGOs have petitioned the state government to withdraw the transfer order of Albert Momin. The protestors have also submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner at Tura.
“The new MCS officer has been discharging his duties diligently, visiting villages and overseeing the implementation of the block projects. What was the need to replace him with an official who stands accused of involvement in corrupt practices,” questioned the protestors.