CPI(M) Meeting Demands CBI Probe to Unearth the Facts
Port Blair, Nov. 7: The meeting of the Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee of CPI (M) held on 5th November 2022 at Port Blair observed with grave concern and anguish that corruption is increasing in these islands with the overt or covert patronage of the BJP-led government at the centre.
During the last 2 - 3 years, particularly during the tenure of the rape accused former Chief Secretary, the corruption was at its zenith with the allegations of large scale collection of money from the businessmen and others by some of the officials of the Administration, the meeting observed. There were allegations of corruption of in grant of Bar licenses, renewal of bar licenses, quarry licenses, purchase of buses in the Transport Department, etc.
It was alleged in the media that about 300 to 400 crores of rupees have been siphoned off to mainland during the last 2 years. CPI (M) observes that one or two official cannot be solely held responsible for it as the money might have gone to the political bosses in Delhi.
In this context, allowing the former Chief Secretary in the post for more than 17 months despite knowing that he was allegedly indulging in corrupt, unethical and illegal activities, by the BJP government at the centre speak voluminous about the nefarious activities of the political-bureaucratic combine in the islands.
The meeting noted that instead of taking action against the officers concerned, the central government continued to protect such corrupt officers which implies the allegations as true that the political bosses on the mainland are also beneficiaries of such large scale corruption taken place in the islands during the last 2–3 years.
CPI (M) is of the view that a thorough investigation into the corrupt practices indulged in by the officers and siphoning of large scale money to mainland should be investigated by CBI to bring to fore the people involved in it and to send a strong signal that people of these islands will no longer tolerate politically-backed corruption by bureaucrats during their tenure in these peaceful and historic islands.
The CPI (M) meeting called upon the central government to conduct a CBI probe into the allegations of corruption and siphoning off large amount of money to mainland during the last 3 years particularly during the period of the rape accused former Chief Secretary.