Statewide campaign launched for allowing CBI to operate in Mizoram

Aizawl, July 9 (UNI) The Aizawl-based People's Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram(Prism) today launched a statewide signature campaign for general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) to operate in Mizoram.

Prism is a newly-formed anti-corruption organisation, The signature campaign is significant in such a way that apart from being the first of its kind in Mizoram, political parties here have accused each other of being afraid to give the CBI a free hand in Mizoram.

Prism President Vanlalruata today said that Mizoram is the only state in India, who denied the CBI a general consent. ''Unlike other states, the Mizoram government had accorded consent to the CBI to the whole of Mizoram for investigation of offences, but only on condition that in every case prior approval of the government of Mizoram should be taken,'' Mr Vanlalruata told UNI.

''With such restrictions or the requirement of prior approval, the CBI has refused to operatate in Mizoram though it has a branch office here,'' he further said.

''The Mizoram government has turned a deaf ear to the repeated pleas of the CBI to operate in Mizoram,'' he alleged.

''We have already submitted a memorandum to the state government in this regard. We are planning to submit a fresh one, this time with signatures of at least as one lakh people in the cities, towns and villages,'' Mr Vanlalruata said.

Prism has so far filed seven FIRs against alleged misappropriation of public money to the state's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), but has very little hope as ''the politicians have influence over the ACB''.

Meanwhile, former Mizoram Chief Minister and state Congress chief Lal Thanhawla had assured that if re-elected, he would rope in the CBI immediately.

Prism's campaign is being backed up by the Society for Social Action(Sosa), another anti-corruption organisation.

UNI