PDS rice scam: ACAUT, CNTC demand probe

After ACAUT and Concerned Citizens of Nagaland (CCN) on Friday unearthed a multi-crore Public Distribution System (PDS) rice scam at Dimapur, ACAUT has demanded that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the possibility of black money generated from the scam and allegedly used to finance armed groups.
ACAUT media cell, in a press note, also posed several questions to the chief minister, Nagaland Police and of Food & Civil Supplies department, to make known certain facts of the scam to the people of Nagaland.
ACAUT sought explanation from the chief minister, who holds Food and Civil Supplies department as to how the rice meant to be sold at Rs. 3 per kg were being siphoned off and then resold to the consumers at Rs. 35 per kg. “To be fair to the present chief minister, his predecessors did initiate this scam but it is incumbent upon the serving CM to come clean with a statement and a promise to give a free hand to Dimapur police to probe the case,” ACAUT stated.
It further asked the police whether any move was made to arrest the accused– Tinku and his manager Nirmal Jain, after an FIR was lodged at sub-urban police station.
Pointing out that the accused persons had been virtually untouchable for the last two decades, allegedly protected by politicians, Naga Factional Groups (NFGs) and other interest groups, ACAUT however urged upon Dimapur police “not to let their reputation go down the drain”.ACAUT also asked the police whether they were under any kind of political pressure to go slow on the FIR?
“If not, why haven’t the approximately 15-20 mills in and around Dimapur in the business of polishing and repackaging FCI rice still not raided by the police?” ACAUT questioned.
ACAUT said  police should have raided the mills on December 9 evening itself when the FIR was registered. “It is an open fact that these mills are supplied FCI rice and wheat by stockiest, including the accused, and the repackaged items then sold-off to gullible consumers as branded rice or wheat”, ACAUT added.
In this regard, ACAUT asked the Food & Civil Supplies department whether it was ready to cancel the “super-stockiest license awarded to Tinku in the light of his involvement in this multiple thousand crore scam?”
ACAUT also asked police and tax authorities whether the bank accounts of the accused persons would be frozen, saying this scam was responsible for generating the maximum black money in Nagaland since decades past.
CNTC: Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) has also demanded that a thorough and proper investigation be carried out and strongest action against all those involved in the PDS rice scam.
In a press release, media cell, CNTC appreciated ACAUT team and various colony councils for unearthing the scam and said the time was ripe for every right thinking citizen to voice out against such malpractices and crooked transactions that were sucking every morsel from the common man’s plate.
CNTC also stated that some unscrupulous non-local businessmen in connivance with some Nagas have been fleecing the common people for the last couple of decades.
The trinal counicl further said many common Naga public had been deprived of various essential commodities like rice, sugar kerosene oil etc. allegedly by some crooked and dishonest non-local businessmen like Tinku and Nirmal Jain who were hand in glove with some nefarious local people.
CNTC demanded that tender order allotted to Tinku and Nirmal Jain be cancelled as they had been siphoning the public essential commodities all these while for their own selfish gain.
It questioned how could Food and Civil Supply Department allow private individuals to operate such godowns in private establishments other than the FCI designated godowns?
The council demanded that an open tender system be floated in all the 73 blocks of the state so educated unemployed Naga youths would be benefitted through the scheme and all essential commodities under the PDS will reach the common people in every nook and corner of the state.
Meanwhile, the CNTC has affirmed its full support to state governor PB Acharya for his concern and speaking against about the prevailing corruption in Nagaland “which has rotted the very root of our moral fabric and completely deteriorate our integrity.”
Further, the CNTC claimed that though the central government was sanctioning hundreds of crores, pathetic condition of state roads, unpaid salaries, mid-day meal scams, and fuel adulteration scam etc. tell the mismanagement at every level of governance.
“Why should anyone be displeased or annoyed with the governor’s straight forwardness of voicing against the corruption culture?” CNTC said and cautioned that unless every Naga take corrective measures at the earliest “we are doomed and our coming generations will curse and never forgive us.”
Maintaining that many current legislators and bureaucrats, as chief guests on various functions, harp on change and voicing against corruption, the CNTC, however, said their actions were just the opposite. It added that mere rhetoric with colorful phrases and catchy idioms have all become meaningless and vague now without walking the talk.
“When their deeds don’t follow their words what they say those are all empty clangs and gongs,” CNTC stated.