Congress slams CM over MPW appointment

Itagar, Nov 1: The Aruchal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has accused chief minister Pema Khandu of involvement in the “fake appointment” of 300 multipurpose workers (MPWs) in the Health department and demanded his resigtion on moral ground for a free and fair probe.

Paying tribute to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 33rd death anniversary, APCC President Takam Sanjoy alleged that Khandu guided his relative Gyatso Tsering (Tsewang), a drug inspector in the Health department, in the fake appointment of MPWs.

“It is learnt that during the process of appointment, Gyatso had taken Rs. 5-7-lakh from each candidate as bribe,” Sanjoy said, adding that a drug inspector does not have any authority to appoint 300 MPWs.

Sanjoy said the Director of Health and Family Welfare had on October 23 lodged an FIR at the harlagun Police Station on the fake appointment. “Why would a department lodge an FIR if it had passed the appointment order?” he asked.

Demanding investigation for necessary action against the culprit, the APCC president said higher officials of the department termed the appointment illegal and they did not have prior knowledge about it.

Gyatso refuted the allegations and said the Congress dragged his me into an issue he has no role in just because he is the CM’s cousin. “I have no authority to appoint anyone, and 300 is not a joke,” he said.

Sanjoy also took a swipe at Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju for “misusing government machinery” and doing nothing for the state’s development. He appealed to Prime Minister rendra Modi to probe Rijiju’s chartering of Indian Air Force choppers mostly for BJP rallies and meetings.

“He is suppose to use IAF choppers only for official programmes, but hiring one for BJP rally at Tali Circle bordering Chi in Kra Dadi district and travelling with CM Pema Khandu and other BJP workers is a fair example of misuse of government machineries,” Sanjoy said, adding such gross misuse was entirely against the slogan of ‘corruption-free government’.

The APCC president said party members would start a jail-bharo movement if the demand is not met. He also ridiculed the BJP rally at Tali.