SHRP demands probe into Chamling ‘corruption’

GANGTOK, April 13: The Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) has sent a letter to the Center today pleading for a detailed inquiry into the charges of corruption against the state chief minister Mr Pawan Chamling which was flashed in the media recently.
SHRP wrote letters to President Mrs Pratiba Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, United Progression Alliance (UPA) chief Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Union home minister Mr Shivraj Patil and to the director general of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking detailed inquiry into the charges of corruption leveled against the state government. “The sate government had allegedly siphoned off Rs 375 crore which was reported in Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report is not a matter of joke. It is an authentic report,” said Mr Biraj Adhikari, spokesperson of SHRP. “The CAG reports also mentioned improper fund transfer made by state government from one department to another to balance the account”, he added.

The charge of corruption against the chief minister and state government, flashed on the national channels created much of a chaos. “It is so surprising that citizens here are mum even after the corruption charge against the chief minister was proved on the channel ” said Mr Adhikari. “The reason why the people are so scared to speak out is that about 90 per cent of them are government employee and they know that corruption is indented so deep everywhere starting from politicians to bureaucrats that nothing can be done” he added.

The state government is trying to defend itself by putting up their party message on the highway road in Gangtok and its periphery. “Interestingly, if we want to put our party poster or banner we would not be permitted by the authority and police would be deployed to remove those in our so called democratic state” said Mr. Tara Shrestha General Secretary, SHRP. “The government is misusing democracy and police, which should be independent,” he added.

State government led by Mr KT Gyaltsen legal advisor to chief minister had condemned the allegations of corruption and demanded immediate apology from the channel or they will take legal action.