Nagaland CM on a fake degree row
Chief Minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang has to appear in person in a court in Kohima on charges of falsifying his college qualifications in electoral affidavits and other official records. Northeast Today reports:
Politicians are perceived synonymous with cheating, lies, and all things hot air. But for one unlucky minister of a Northeastern state, the semantic couldn’t be more uncomfortably closer to the embarrassing analogy about politics and helium. Chief Minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang is in court on charges of falsifying his college qualifications in electoral affidavits and other official records. He is accused of falsifying official records and election peripherals as a degree holder when he had allegedly failed in, well, his entire bachelor’s board subjects in 1979. And “miserably” no less.
Following a complaint filed by a citizen, one Maziezokho Nisa, a court in Kohima has summoned Zeliang to appear in person for hearing “on his educational qualification issue” on January 7, 2016.
Earlier on November 9, Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Tucuno Vamuzo had summoned the registrar of Kohima College and to the registrar of Northeastern Hill University to produce records pertaining to the educational qualification of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) leader. On November 30, records were produced and the witnesses were examined.
On December 7, the court said to have examined records produced by officials of the said university and the Arts College and “came to the conclusion that it was a fit case to proceed further.” A copy of the judicial magistrate’s order on the case issued through the media, said that the court had perused academic records produced by the acting- registrar of said university, as well as records from Kohima College, pertaining to the educational qualification of the Chief Minister, full name Tadotui Zeliang. The court stated in the order (in verbatim) “The records showed that Tadotui Zeliang appeared in BA exam in 1979, bearing Roll No 598, but failed in all subjects. In 1980, there is no record showing TR Zeliang having appeared BA exam under NEHU. Further, the records showed that Taditui Zeliang has been enrolled as student of NEHU in the year 1975-76, bearing registration No. A0004 and signed by him on the record register on 4/9/1975.”
“As such, I am satisfied that as per the provisions of Section 469 (b) (2) and Section 473 of CrPC, this Court’s inclined to take cognizance of the alleged offence and in the interest of justice, the question of limitation period does not arise,” the judge stated. “Therefore, summon is hereby issued to the accused person to appear in person before this Court on January 7, 2016.”
One consolation for the beleaguered Nagaland Chief Minister, however, is that he is not alone when it comes to jumping classes. In July, 2015, the Aam Admi Party threatened to approach the Supreme Court over issues associated with political representatives “lying” in affidavits and official records. Among those caught in as a collateral damage was Goa’s PWD minister Sudin Dhavalikar who was accused by the party of submitting bogus graduation degrees to election authorities.
Following the revelation–with alleged copies of Zeliang’s allegedly “failed” BA marksheet going around social media–youths have not taken kindly that the CM himself as bantering to Nagaland’s already corruption- riddled system. “Politics doesn’t need education but he shouldn’t have lied in affidavits. They are leaders and their actions give a wrong message to the people,” said M Thapa, a Dimapur youth.
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee also ridiculed the Chief Minister’s alleged falsification of educational records in affidavits. The media cell of the Indian National Congress unit said that as per the complaint, the Chief Minister claimed to have graduated from Kohima Arts College in 1979 (Nagaland Legislative Assembly record) and 1980 (election affidavit of 2013). “However, according to RTI information attached with the complaint, he had failed miserably in all subjects in 1979 and had no record of appearing BA exams in 1980,” the NPCC said. The opposition has demanded that the governor of the state institute an inquiry committee to verify the affidavit submitted by Zeliang in Form-26 and other relevant documents. The opposition party’s emphasis on “failed miserably” was not lost on anyone.
The court stated in the order (in verbatim) “The records showed that Tadotui Zeliang appeared in BA exam in 1979, bearing Roll No 598, but failed in all subjects. In 1980, there is no record showing TR Zeliang having appeared BA exam under NEHU. Further, the records showed that Taditui Zeliang has been enrolled as student of NEHU in the year 1975-76, bearing registration No. A0004 and signed by him on the record register on 4/9/1975.”
“As such, I am satisfied that as per the provisions of Section 469 (b) (2) and Section 473 of CrPC, this Court’s inclined to take cognizance of the alleged offence and in the interest of justice, the question of limitation period does not arise,” the judge stated.
“Therefore, summon is hereby issued to the accused person to appear in person before this Court on January 7, 2016.”