Cong hurls graft slur on Mizo govt
Today's Edition:Aizawl, April 23 2006


The Congress in the state has accused the Mizo National Front-led government of trying to hush up cases of corruption.
Accusing the Chakma Autonomous District Council and the government of being hand in glove, the Chakma District Congress Committee from Kamalanager (Chawngte) said in a statement that state education minister R. Lalthangliana had inaugurated the new building of the Kamalanager Higher Secondary School on Thursday though a case relating to the building was pending in court.
The statement said the construction of the school building was allotted to an unregistered contractor, Basundara Chakma, wife of a member of the district council, Prema Ranjan Chakma.
The building began to develop cracks shortly after construction was completed, leading to allegations that substandard materials had been used. The Congress committee instructed its president, K.K. Tongchongya and its media vice-chairman Amar Sriti Chakma to film the building on March 25.
The statement said fearing bad publicity, Prema Ranjan Chakma lodged an FIR accusing Tongchongya and Chakma of conspiring to damage the building. Police then seized the video cassette and registered a case against the two.
After the case was registered, the committee then submitted a written request to the authorities to keep the school building closed to ensure that the contractor did not get a chance to cover up the evidence of poor construction. Instead, the statement alleged that the contractor was given an opportunity to repair the bad portions.
The education minister also inaugurated the school building despite the committee’s request against accepting the invitation.
\Condemning the acts of the state government and the district council, the statement warned that the committee would not remain a silent spectator to this corruption but would fight against it at all levels.