Teacher appointment scam: Lyngdoh defends self, blames DEME

Shillong, Nov 13:  Emerging from her silence, the battered Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh categorically denied of having directed the tampering of the answer score sheets during the recruitment of the government lower primary school teachers in 2010 when she was holding the education portfolio  and instead quoted para 5  sub clause (V) of the CBI report which she said has clearly stated that “prima facie” it appears the tampering was done in the office of the Directorate of Department of Elementary and Mass Education (DEME).

Lyngdoh along with other ministers and legislators have been accused of manipulating the score-sheets of the candidates who had appeared in the primary school teachers’ examination to favour and appoint their own candidates. Media and ngos have been quoting the CBI report submitted to the Shillong bench of Guahati high court wherein it has named ministers, including Lyngdoh who was then holding the education portfolio- Meghalaya assembly speaker and deputy speaker were also accused of having recommended appointment of their candidates.

The accusation against Lyngdoh is more serious as she had been perceived to have directed tampering of the score-sheets leading to demand for resignation by ngos.

Rubbishing the demand for her resignation as “conspiracy” Lyngdoh Tuesday told a news conference that at no point during her tenure as the education minister she issued “unlawful orders” to any official working in the education department  to tamper and derailed the selection process.

Lyngdoh termed the statement of DEME director JD Sangma to the CBI that the tampering was done at her directive as “uncorroborated” and said she was “shocked at the allegations leveled against her when she had not done anything.”

Expressing faith at the judiciary Lyngdoh said like any ordinary citizen she will stand judged by the court  and not by any other forces driven by other “vested interest and intentions.” She also said that nowhere in the CBI report it has been mention about any recommendation by her  to favour the selection of any candidate.

Speaking about JD Sangma statement to the CBI Lyngdoh said, “If an uncorroborated statement of an official is the basis for all the allegations leveled against me, then no politician would ever be able to function in our democratic polity. No minister would like to be at the mercy of an official who gives statements as per his whims and fancies.”- By Our Reporter