Aizawl, Feb 9 (PTI) Days after the CMO and the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) denied allegations linking Mizoram chief minister to a trader from Assam accused of smuggling areca nuts from Myanmar, the BJP on Wednesday claimed that the man was part of the state’s team at the dinner meeting of chief ministers Zoramthanga and Himata Biswa Sarma in Delhi in November.
The BJP statement, which was reportedly confirmed by an MLA of Assam, has turned the issue into a controversy with opposition parties targeting Zoramthanga’s government for its alleged involvement in areca nut smuggling.
A Silchar-based online news portal had on February 5 reported that Abu Mazumdar, a resident of the town in Assam’s Cachar district and close to the Mizoram government, was present at the dinner meeting.
The report had also claimed that Mazumdar was an invitee of Zoramthanga as he has a close relationship with the Mizoram government.
The man’s house at Silchar was recently raided by the police for his alleged involvement in smuggling areca nuts from Myanmar, the report said.
The CMO and MNF on Monday refuted the report and claimed that Mazumdar may have been invited by Sarma at the dinner, which was held at Assam House in the national capital on November 25 last year on the sidelines of the border talks between the two states as a goodwill gesture.
Barring Mizoram House resident commissioner, the officer on special duty to the chief minister and his additional personal secretary no other officials from Mizoram accompanied Zoramthanga to the dinner, the report said.
BJP said in a statement on Wednesday that it had approached Jyanta Malla Barua, the secretary to the Assam chief minister and a lawmaker, who confirmed that Mazumdar was part of the Mizoram team during the dinner.
Barua had also said that Mazumdar is under police scanner in connection with the smuggling racket and is currently at large, the saffron party claimed.
It said that the Assam government would not have attempted to arrest Mazumdar nor would he have absconded if he was part of the Assam team at the dinner and asked the Mizoram government to reveal the truth.
Accusing the MNF government helmed by Zoramthanga of being “deeply involved” in the smuggling of areca nuts from Myanmar, the saffron party said “The fact that the smuggler Abu Mazumdar is absconding from his residence and the Assam police is trying to catch him clearly reveals that Mizoram government is embroiled in the smuggling”.
Mizoram Congress treasurer Zodintluanga too alleged that Mazumdar was a close ally of Zoramthanga.
Addressing a party meeting in south Mizoram’s Lunglei town on Wednesday, he said the CMO’s clarification over the nexus with Mazumdar has fallen flat as the fact that the chief minister had dined with the smuggler was already known by the people.
He said that Mazumdar had applied for supplying rice bags to Mizoram in the past and the erstwhile Congress government had rejected him. PTI COR KK KK KK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Source: The Print
