Kohima, July 14: The opposition Congress in Nagaland Assembly has alleged that the government is trying to protect people involved in various scandals in the state. The Congress members, on the ultimate day of the budget session yesterday, said the matter of Sugar Mill Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) was serious, but Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was trying to shield the accused including Rajya Sabha Member Khekiho Zhimomi. Some of the employees of the defunct Nagaland Sugar Mill did not get the VRS sanctioned by the Nagaland Industries department and accordingly twenty to thirty employees separately filed two writ petitions in Gauhati High Court, which ordered for a CBI inquiry.
The CBI, after completing the investigation, has chargesheeted Rajya Sabha member Zhimomi, eputy director of Industries and Commerce K Hokishe Assumi, Azheto and Visheto of NSCN-IM, but the state government did not allow to prosecute them, saying it had not asked for the CBI enquiry.
The Congress members also demanded removal of Parliamentary Secretary K C Nihoshe for irregularities in the department.
Leader of Opposition Chingwang Konyak demanded Nihoshe be removed not only for the irregularities but also for his act of nepotism while discharging responsibilities of the department. The Congress further alleged that since 2006 the Centre had allotted over Rs 90 crore as transport subsidy for Nagaland, but these funds mostly went into the hands of a single community.
—-Agencies