Dimapur, April 2 (MExN): Minister for Education, Imkong L Imchen is once more in the news for the wrong reasons: the Pyotchu Village Council, Wokha is demanding his resignation for allegedly fishing in Doyang River and alleged that the Minister’s security personnel and fishing party manhandled the officials and members of the village council when they tried to stop the Minister from fishing in the river.
The PVC termed Imkong as a disgrace in the Neiphiu Rio led DAN Government and demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister if he fails to dismiss Imkong Imchen. It was further stated that if the Chief Minister fails to dismiss Imkong, then they would conclude that the present government is not serious about justice and therefore have failed the mandate given to them in the last general elections.
The PVC stated Imkong along with his fishing party ‘unlawfully, and in outright contempt and disregard of the will and the decision of the village council, used chemicals for fishing in the Doyang River’. The PVC stated that the Minister had taken out a fishing party to the Doyang River on March 16 last though the village council had intimated the Minister that the village council has banned any form of hunting and fishing during the breeding season beginning from the month of February till October as per the customary practice of the indigenous inhabitants.
The PVC stated that the village council as per customary laws, summoned the Minister to the village council court on March 28 last, however, Imkong in ‘total disregard’ of the village council did not show up as summoned, the release alleged.
‘(the Minister) thereby shown (read show) scant disregard to the Pyotchu Village Council not only once but thrice” the release stated.
The release stated that the Pyotchu Village Council finds it outrageous that even though the DAN Government had, as its policy towards protecting and promoting bio-diversity and respecting indigenous practices, banned fishing and hunting during breeding season. The release added that not only the village council but the Lotha Hoho and the RASU has banned fishing and hunting during breeding season at Doyang River. In this regard, the PVC wondered how a law maker could not only break his own government’s policy but also expose how unruly he is.
The PVC then stated that the JEE imbroglio is not just one of the unforgettable moments of his tenure as Minister of School Education but that the sanctity of the office has been repeatedly desecrated and dishonoured by the whims and personal interests of the Minister concerned.
Putting also those allegations, the PVC demanded the resignation of the Minister in order to allow justice and sanctity to prevail within the department and the present DAN government.
