NGEA welcomes investigation into FIR filed by secretary of GHADC

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 20, 2020

The Non-Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has said it welcomes investigation into the FIR filed by the council’s secretary Rikse Marak against the association for allegedly trying to destroy the property of the council.

“In this regard, we welcome the investigation and we will be more happy if CBI conduct the inquiry on her (Rikse) FIR against us,” NGEA president Senora Johny Arengh said in a statement issued on Sunday. 

He also asked if the secretary has any proof or evidence to show that we are instigating the employees of the GHADC to damage the property of GHADC?

“She (Rikse) had been  issuing various show cause (notices), repeatedly conducting inquiry against the leaders of the NGEA on the pretext of non-registration of NGEA and many others. The secretary is sending legal notice, lodging FIR against the leaders of the NGEA with the sole object and  malafide intension to suppress us and to hide her misdeed,” Arengh said. 

“We will proof our case and we are ready to go to jail if we are found guilty of doing any  wrong,” he further added.  The association also alleged that there are cases pending against the present secretary related to illegal appointment of employees, missing of Rs 35 crore in the Lokayukta and death of about 25 employees due to non release of salary in the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC).

It may be mentioned here that the employees of the GHADC has been protesting against the non-release of salaries for the past 30 months. 

Stating that the employees and their families may not die due to the coronavirus pandemic but may die due to hunger and starvation, Arengh said, “We want to send the message to her, to the public and to the MDA government that we are hungry and frustrated. When you are hungry, you can’t think and act properly…therefore, there may be irregularities in following the COVID protocols during our demonstration held on December 14, for (which) we apologize to the deputy commissioner of West Garo Hills, if we unintentionally failed to follow protocols. But nevertheless we  beg to state that we may not  die of coronavirus but our children and family member may die of hunger and starvation.”

He also recalled that Rikse did not have any objection and had never question about the registration of NGEA when she joined as secretary of the GHADC although the association had submitted an official letter to the Registrar in-charge of Society, Tura informing about the formation of the new body of the NGEA. 

“But from the time we started to demand for our salary  and file contempt case in the High Court, she started to question our registration and started to harass us in various forms. Rikse also stated that  she is contemplating to write representation to the government to release her from GHADC, in this regards we response that  if she is so serious on her statement what prevent her from submitting the letter requesting the government to release her from GHADC. Rikse also claimed  that  she was asked by the government to serve in the council to transform and reform the functioning of GHADC and she further claim that she is in GHADC to serve the public. (However), we strongly rejected her claims and want clarification from Rikse and MDA government whether she is deputed to GHADC to harass and target  the NGEA leaders and employees for demanding to release the salary,” Arengh also said.