Governor gives nod to graft charges
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, October 20 2012: Governor of Manipur Gurbachan Jagat has reportedly given his assurance to look into the graft charges leveled against the ruling Ibobi Singh led Congress Government to a joint delegation of seven Opposition parties which called on him today.

As announced yesterday, representatives of seven political parties including Trinamool Congress, CPI, CPM-M, JD-U, MPP, JD-S and BJP went to the Raj Bhavan at around 12.25 am today and submitted a memorandum to the Governor accusing several individuals including high ranking officials and Ministers of graft charges.

It may be noted that the ruling Congress Government headed by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is facing graft charges of Rs 224 crore sanctioned for cleaning of Phumdis (floating biomass) of Loktak Lake and another Rs 50 crore meant for Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDCS) as well as an OBC scam arising out of alleged illegal appointment of staff in the State Assembly Secretariat.

During the meeting with the Governor which lasted for more than half an hour, the joint delegation also pressed the former for instituting an enquiry committee with members of all political parties to probe into illegal appointment of staff in Assembly Secretariat and the Loktak Lake scandal involving crores of rupees.

Talking to mediapersons after coming out from the Raj Bhavan, Dr M Nara, State Secretary of CPI, informed that during the course of the meeting the delegates drew the attention of the Governor to the prevailing situation in the State Assembly Secretariat wherein a number of staff including the near and dear ones of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were found to have been appointed illegally using fake certificates.

The delegates also updated the Governor on the Loktak Lake scandal involving crores of rupees and one K-Pro private firm which is the lone bidder to apply for the project of cleaning up Loktak Lake.

Furthermore, the delegates pressed for investigating into the issue of misappropriation of huge amount of funds sanctioned under ICDS project through the Social Welfare Department, Dr Nara said, adding that after giving a patient hearing, the Governor assured that he would look into the matter and all necessary steps would be taken up in this regard.

Dr Nara also informed that the Naga political issue was not included at the meeting 'for the simple reason that we are planning to raise it in the upcoming winter session of Parliament and for this, we will send a delegation to New Delhi ahead of the winter session' .

M Tombi, President of JD(U); Sarat Salam, State Secretary of CPI (M); S Umananda, President of MPP; Sh Shantikumar, President of BJP Manipur Pradesh, RK Shivachandra, spokesperson of Manipur State Trinamool Congress and Manihar Goswami, Working President, JD(S), Manipur were part of the delegation which called on the Governor today.

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