Share probe reports with MLAs: TMC to MDA

SHILLONG, June 18: The Meghalaya Trinamool Congress on Sunday questioned the state government for reneging on its promise of providing the inquiry reports into the alleged MeECL and rice ‘scams’ to the legislators.
It is almost nine months and counting since Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong had assured in the Assembly that the government would circulate the two probe reports among the MLAs, TMC leader, George B. Lyngdoh said on Sunday while adding that the government had given itself a “clean chit” on the rice ‘scam’ without even making the inquiry report public.
“It is expected that any report comes into public view after it is placed before the MLAs as is notified under the Commission of Inquiry Act,” he said.
He wanted to know why the legislators were being kept in the dark even after a promise. “We expected the reports to be provided during the budget session but they didn’t. Hopefully, the government will remember to provide them to the legislators in the next session of the Assembly,” he said.
Stating that they have neither heard anything nor seen the terms of references of these inquiry committees, Lyngdoh said the legislators, especially those from the opposition, did not know their mandate. “Since we don’t know their mandate how can we actually say that the committees have fulfilled the mandate if the parameters are not being fulfilled,” he added.
“We also don’t know under which provision of law those committees have been notified. The terms of reference of the committee was also never provided to us,” he added.
It is to be noted that Social Welfare Minister, Paul Lyngdoh had recently said the inquiry report which was submitted to the government had ruled out allegations of the rice scam as baseless.
Lyngdoh said there was no iota of truth in any of the allegations adding that the views of the Advocate General (AG) on this matter was very clear and made pointed observation that the allegations had no legs to stand upon and therefore the case cannot be regarded as the scam.
Informing that they have also obtained the views of the Law department, he added said that AG had also made an observation that the actual incident and the case was delayed because of lack of coordination with the Assam police where the scam was supposed to have taken place.
He had also asked TMC leaders Mukul Sangma and George B. Lyngdoh to depose before Mool Chand Garg, the retired judge who headed the panel to probe the alleged rice scam if they feel something is amiss. He had also advised the TMC leaders to read the report before making allegations that the government was giving itself a “clean chit” without making the report public.