Local body perturbed by ‘misuse’ of public scheme

SHILLONG, July 18: A local organisation called New Dawn Meghalaya said that the recent revelation made in this paper about an alleged scam in Saubhagya scheme has perturbed it even as it expressed frustration over “numerous cases of scams and graft which this MDA government has been unable (or unwilling) to stop”.
“While this scheme was designed to help the poor and needy, it has nonetheless allowed various nefarious governmental and non-governmental players to benefit tremendously while the public have suffered in the meantime. This must not be allowed and we demand an independent investigation free from any governmental interference,” the organisation said in a statement issued here.
Pointing at the recently-appointed team, it said that the team will need to be buffeted by competent members of civil society while maintaining that the findings must be accessible by the public.
The organisation has also condemned Power Minister James Sangma for “hinting at punishing the people who leaked the report to the press instead of acknowledging the serious claims and issuing comprehensive orders for redressal”.
“This type of intimidation warrants widespread protestation. Rules of Service must not be used to impinge on the duty of a person or persons to reveal the truth about the government and its workings,” it said.
On the other hand, New Dawn has also asserted that it will stand by people who leak such important information “because their conscience and morality is what keeps our society from the brink of ruin”.
“We as a political front will seek the implementation of policy and legislation which will protect whistleblowers. A whistleblowers’ protection act must be taken up by all members of the Assembly as a bipartisan topic because a critical democracy is a strong democracy,” it said.