Dimapur, July 2 (MExN): “The seizure of hard cash to the tune of Rs. 900,000/- from the possession of Imkong L. Imchen, the Home Minister of Nagaland by the Nepalese custom officials at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal on June 30, 2010 was an embarrassment not only to Nagaland but also to the whole country”, stated a press note issued by Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee President I. Imkong. Pointing out that it was a fit case in which he should have tendered his resignation on the spot or at least the Chief Minister should have dropped him without a second thought, the NPCC claimed that Imkong L. Imchen had violated the protocol by not taking prior permission from the Government of India to go abroad as is the mandatory rule under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
“His flip flop replies during the course of his interrogation by the Nepalese Police were of suspicious nature. When he was caught red-handed he feigned ignorance of the Napalese currency law. As per the Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. news report he even went to the extent of identifying himself as an Indian citizen of Nepali origin in order to escape from the ordeal”, the NPCC press note alleged.
In this regard, the NPCC demanded from the Home Minister to disclose the source of the cash as the seizure happened during his return journey and not while entering Nepal. “He also should make public as for what purpose he was carrying big cash”, it stated while also demanding that a thorough probe be instituted to unearth the mystery shrouding the whole episode. The NPCC also demanded public apology from Lalthara, the Chief Secretary of Nagaland for defending the Home Minister “unreasonably” while pointing out that “being a man of public, the clarification issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat that the HM was on private visit does not absolve the Minister from the crime”.
Terming it as unfortunate, the NPCC stated that when the people of Nagaland are suffering due to shortage of cash flow within the State, the DAN members were freely indulging in unlawful cash transactions outside the State with the public money. “The people of Nagaland demands that, he resign without further delay owning moral responsibility”, the Congress stated.
