ACAUT to hold sit-in demanding Nagaland Lokayukta
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 12 2017: ACAUT, PSAN, and the various student organizations have decided to hold a sit-in protest in New Secretariat Complex, Kohima from Nov 15 to demand implementation of Nagaland Lokayukta.

In a statement, ACAUT said that for 3 years ACAUT Nagaland and other concerned organizations have been appealing to the State government to implement the Nagaland Lokayukta.

The first appeal was made on Oct 31, 2014 at Kohima with a public rally and later a petition was submitted to Chief Minister in Nov 2014 .

The HPC too had recommended the setting up of the Lokayukta.

On October 31, 2015, more than 70 college students, professionals and ACAUT members walked from Dimapur to Kohima to highlight the importance of Lokayukta and a signed petition demanding its implementation appended by hundreds of supporters along the route - Jhamapani, Medziphema, PHerima.

Piphema, PeduCha.

Zubza-was submitted to the CM.

Most recently, more than 65,000 people demanded the setting up of the anti-corruption body at the ACAUT rally held on 25th August.

For a failed state like Nagaland with no roads and bridges, and reeling after scam after scams like mismanagement of MNREGA funds, double withdrawals in the Finance Department, rice & fuel scams, mid-day meal scams, non-payment of students' scholarship, etc, all at the cost of the common man, the Lokayukta is the only body which can check the utter corruption, it said.

On Sept 26,2017, ACAUT in its meeting with the Standing Committee of the NLA rejected the Government's draft proposal on Lokayukta.

The Standing Committee suggested that the ACAUT submit its own draft proposal and a next meeting was agreed upon.

The ACAUT condemns the cowardice of the Standing Committee in refusing to meet the ACAUT team which had already submitted its draft proposal on October 2.Therefore, the intention of the Government is clear- that it doesn't want the anti-corruption body to see the light of day.

With elections around the corner, and the ECI likely to announce elections in December or 1st week of January 2018, the only period within which the Lokayukta Bill can be passed or for the Government to be able to act on the issue is November or 1st half of December.

"We wish to tell the Naga people that this is a just fight and it is in the interest of the future generation.

And the ACAUT invites Naga people everywhere who believe in a better Nagaland to join us in the protest.

We are not against any individual, entity or any political party and therefore, all Naga people are requested to respect our objectives and support us," it said.

The Government of Nagaland is also notified that the agitation may be intensified at any point of time if it fails to respond.

It also appealed to the APO that the Public Co-ordination Committee (PCC) spearheading the agitation may be exempted from the purview of the APO ban since the sit-in protest will be solely confined to New Secretariat Complex.

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