‘Vested circles trying to malign image of Sonaigaon Samabay Samiti’

A Correspondent

TANGLA, May 20: “A section of persons with vested interests who are not entitled to get any undue benefit from us are trying to malign our image.” This was stated by president and secretary of Sonaigaon Samabay Samiti, Dipendra Upadhyaya and Niran Basumatary respectively, in a press communique. The Sonaigaon Samabay Samiti located at Bhairabkunda in Udalguri district alleged that a section was trying to malign the image of the organization since long but had not been successful. The press release clarified that the public organization had been running at the will of its shareholders and public cooperation and had been submitting its internal and annual audit as per set rules to the authority concerned of food and civil supplies and general public by organizing annual conference of the cooperative society every year on given date without failure.

The press release reiterated that journalists should be impartial while investigating any matter and should meet both sides and should not be one-sided in covering news. The press release referred to a news item published in an Assamese vernacular daily few days ago and alleged that the reporter never practically visited the cooperative society office for investigation and wrote a one-sided story to mislead the public. The press release appealed to media persons to visit the cooperative society on any working day and present a detailed story.

A vernacular daily from Guwahati published a story related to the cooperative society with an allegation that it misused 900 quintals of rice under PDS and had not been following the National Food Security Act, 2013 but the organization clarified that it had been following the Act since it was enforced and still the organization had its due of Rs. 71,39,153 to be paid by the government.