SHILLONG: A day after the opposition Congress alleged that an officer from Jowai had been transferred after a minister threatened him “with necessary action”, the State Government has refuted the allegations and blamed the Opposition of trying to politicise the issue of transfer of officers in the state.
Talking to media persons here on Wednesday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma accused the opposition of trying to politicise the issue of transfer of officers even as he maintained that transfer is a ‘normal process’ which is done by the Government.
Earlier on Monday, the opposition had accused one of the MLAs from West Jaintia Hills and his brother of scolding, rebuking and threatening the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sammy Laloo before transferring him to Ampati overnight for not giving in to their request for favours.
Reacting to this, the Chief Minister said that the transfer of this officer was a routine procedure followed by the Government adding that everything was being done in the interest of ensuring that there was proper governance
“This is part of the exercise which is being done regularly. They are unnecessarily trying to politicise this issue. This was done during their time also” the Chief Minister added.
Asking the Opposition to allow the Government to do this work, Sangma said that there were no allegations as such and this was a normal process.
When asked on the letter written by the Leader of Opposition, the CM said that that he would be replying to this letter.
“My reply is very simple. This is a normal process done in the interest of the public and in the interest of the Government,” he said.
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said that if any officer had any grievance or if they felt that they were ill-treated, they should file an FIR.
“Can anyone keep quite if he is being abused or being beaten up,” Tynsong said.
When asked how the officer could take on the political masters, he said that they (officers) were not slaves of somebody.
“The law is there when something goes beyond the limit,” Deputy Chief Minister said.
When asked if the Government would constitute an inquiry into this, he said that the Government couldn’t constitute inquiry on the basis of the report of a newspaper.
“We cannot proceed ahead with the inquiry unless we receive an official complaint,” Deputy Chief Minister said.
In response to a question on IAS officers leaving the State in the past six months, he said that the opposition Congress should name as to how many of them left the state during the regime of the present government and how many of them left during the previous Congress led Government.
He, however, said that the IAS officers were leaving for Delhi on normal deputation.
When asked how he looks at the allegations made by the Congress, Tynsong said that it is the job of the opposition to rake controversy against the Government.
