Aizawl, May 23 (PTI): Mizoram’s influential student organisation, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), has accused Chief Minister Lalduhoma of deceit and blatant favouritism over the re-engagement of a top government official following her superannuation.
The state government has made a couple of flip-flops over the re-engagement of R Lalrodingi, who retired as the additional director in the Commerce and Industries, and Geology and Mining departments on April 30. In an order issued on April 24, the state government approved her re-employment as Tourism Director and an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Chief Minister with effect from May 1.
However, on May 15, it cancelled the order and decided that she would continue only as OSD to the CM after the MZP urged the Lalduhoma administration to keep the re-employment decision in abeyance. The government changed its decision again last Friday, and ordered that Lalrodingi would take the additional charge as director of tourism with immediate effect.
Expressing disappointment over the latest order, MZP president C Lalremruata claimed the chief minister had given them false assurances when they met him on May 13 to object to the government’s move to re-employ Lalrodingi as the director of tourism.
“The position of OSD to the CM is a political appointment, and we have no say in that. But we made it unequivocally clear that we would not accept her re-appointment as the director of tourism,” Lalremruata told reporters. He said that the CM explicitly gave them a written commitment promising that the government decision would be reviewed.
“Trusting his word, we chose to wait for government action even after our self-imposed deadline of May 14 had passed. “The Mizoram government and the CM lied to us right inside his own office. We deeply regret that such localised favouritism is being practised at the highest level of government. We hope this sets no further precedents,” Lalremruata added.
He reiterated that the MZP maintains a strict, zero-tolerance policy against the re-employment of retired government staff, arguing that it blocks promotional avenues for serving officials and opportunities for educated youth.
In a meeting of the MZP on Saturday evening, the outfit decided to picket the tourism office in the Mizoram secretariat on May 25 to protest against the government’s move.
