Opposition Congress walks out of Nagaland assembly over CAG report

KOHIMA: The opposition Congress today walked out during the one day session of the Nagaland assembly alleging that the state government had undermined the privileges enjoyed by the Public Accounts Committee.

The Leader of the Opposition Tokheho Yepthomi drew the speaker's attention to the chief secretary's action over the report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which was tabled on the last day of the budget session in March in the house.

The report highlighted alleged irregularities of over Rs 18 crore by the DGP's office in implementation of the home ministry funded police modernization scheme in Nagaland.

Tokheho said that before the report was verified by the PAC and made its recommendations to the government, the chief secretary notified formation of a high-power committee to verify the observations made by the CAG on ultilisation of funds by the DGP's office.

He alleged that the government's action undermined the role of PAC, saying that in the next session the Congress would bring a privilege motion against the chief secretary.

Protesting the chief secretary's action on the CAG report, the opposition boycotted the remaining business of the house for the day.

Tokheho also said the Congress members wanted an hour-long discussion on the CAG report in the assembly, but the speaker disallowed it on the ground that since the government had already taken action over the irregularities pointed out in the report there was no need for discussion at this stage.