APSSB Fiasco: No one will be spared and the guilty will be punished- Pema Khandu
Chief Minister expressed surprise on the audacity of those involved despite his repeated warnings against corruption.
Itanagar
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today categorically made it crystal clear that no one involved in the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (SSB) fiasco will be spared and the guilty will be punished as per relevant rules and law.
Speaking here at a Workshop on Pre-Panchayat Election Awareness Campaign, the Chief Minister expressed surprise on the audacity of those involved despite his repeated warnings against corruption.
“For the last three years I have been repeating – on every available platform – that corruption in any form will not be tolerated and those found guilty, irrespective of power and position, will not be spared. I am literally surprised that despite the repeated warnings people still have the courage to corrupt,” he exclaimed.
Khandu said that SSB was constituted to provide transparent, fair and equal playing ground for the unemployed youths of the state to join government jobs at the lower levels. He said SSB was his vision to root out corruption in recruitment of lower level jobs, which was prevalent when recruitments were done independently by the departments.
“It breaks my heart to see my vision being shattered by few individuals. I reiterate nobody found involved – be it anybody – will be spared,” he reiterated.
The Chief Minister informed that the government has taken suo-moto cognizance of the fiasco and immediately registered a case under relevant sections and handed it over to the Special Investigation Cell (SIC).
“Within a day of investigation, SIC has got several leads and I assure to the people of Arunachal Pradesh that soon the guilty will be in the dragnet of law,” he revealed.
Taking opportune moment of the presence of government officials – from the top to lower levels – Khandu appealed them to stick to rules and discharge their duties in a fair, transparent and impartial manner.
He regretted that despite wholehearted efforts ‘leakages’ are still happening in the system and urged government employees to change the system from within. Pointing that one day everybody, including him, ministers, MLAs and even government officials, would become ‘former’, he said then they will regret that they didn’t change the system when they had the power to do it.
“We just need the willpower to do so today. Once I become former chief minister and you all retire, we may have the ‘will’ but not the ‘power’ anymore,” he said.
Reminding the absolute mandate of the people for this government during the last Assembly elections, he said it proved the confidence and trust the people have on the present government.
“In return of the confidence, people have lots of expectations from us. I will not think twice to take action against those found tinkering with people’s expectations,” Khandu added.
