ACAUT Nagaland has expressed grave concern over the summon notice served by judicial magistrate court, Mumbai to Tourism & Higher Education minister Temjen Imna Along Longkumer, against whom a fraud case to the tune of Rs 125 crore had been initiated.
Describing the evasiveness and casual response of BJP and chief minister Neiphiu Rio as simply galling, ACAUT in a press note observed that neither the BJP nor the chief minister had asked him to step down from holding office. ACAUT said this was in complete contrast to the democratic traditions of the past and utter disrespect to the people.
Claiming that sufficient prima facie evidence had been established in Along’s case, and pointing out that the judiciary process was ongoing, the anti-graft body noted that yet he still held office of power while an investigation was ongoing, which was contrary to very fabric of free and impartial trial.
According to ACAUT, this much of a base public ethics was surely expected from the BJP that championed itself against corruption. Asking the BJP and PDA to measure up to the expectations of people, ACAUT demanded that Along should be made to step aside or till such time the court exonerated him.