Macha Leima clarifies on Thongju issue
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 29 2013:
Manipuri Chanura Leishem Marup (Macha Leima) has said the standoff at Thongju Part-II was nothing to do with the RTI application filed by four women but it was due to the harassment and insult meted out to job card holders who sought work under MGNREGS.
Saying that the funds which are being pumped into the State under MGNREGS are meant for the public and job card holders, Manipuri Macha Leima said that the organisation would not spare anybody who misappropriates the said fund.
In a press release, Macha Leima said that four courageous women sought information through RTI regarding misappropriation of fund at Thongju Part-II .
Following the investigation, these four women were succesfull in distributing of Rs 4000 each to 92 job card holders for the pending mandays of MGNREGS.
Although, the Deputy Ombudsman expressed his willingness to file FIRs against the elected persons of Panchayat of the area regarding the misappropriation of fund, the complainants requested the Deputy Ombuds- man not to file FIRs but to resolve the matter with the promise from elected persons of Panchayat to work clean in future, the press release said.
However, the elected persons could not fulfill their promise later, it added.
Saying that the RTI applicants never demanded for money but information only, the press release said that Macha Leima also turned down the offer of making payment to the organistion by the officials and elected persons who were involved in the said irregularity.
The press release added that the standoff at Thongju Part-II was nothing to do with the RTI application but due the harrasment meted out to job card holders who sought for work under the Central sponsored scheme.
MGNREGS work was not deliberately given to one such woman, it added.
Following the harrasment, a criminal complaint was lodged at the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West.
The complaint mentioned withdrawal of wages by elected persons of Panchayat even though it was not distributed to the job card holders, faking signatures of job card holders, non transfer of wages in the accounts of job card holders, withdrawal of wages by using names of the husband and brother-in-law of a Ward Member, cases of issuing two job cards to selected families etc.
Saying that Macha Leima would sue the persons who tried to defame the organisation by dragging into the issue of Thongju Part-II, the press release said that if these persons want to know the fact they may ask the job holders to show the valid bank pass books.
Decrying the police inactiveness on the recent Thongju incident, the press release said that police could easily thwart the harrasment and insult meted out to three innocent women.
It added that the incident was unfortunate as the incident happened at a time when UN Special Repporteur on Violence Against Women Rashida Manjoo is visiting the State.
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