Majuli(Assam), 19 Jan (PTI): The Congress continued to level allegations of corruption against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ entered its second day in the state on Friday.
Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the Yatra, accused Sarma of being the ‘most corrupt’ CM in the country, while his fellow parliamentarian Gaurav Gogoi claimed that the party was focussing on corruption as it was the most pertinent issue for the people of the state.
”Here (in Assam), the chief minister is the most corrupt,” Gandhi said, addressing the predominantly tribal populace of this island-district in a brief speech soon after reaching on Friday morning.
He had levelled similar charges of corruption against Sarma and his government on the first day of the Yatra in the state on Thursday, leading to counter-attack by the CM who termed the Gandhi family of being ‘most corrupt’ and using a ‘duplicate’ surname.
Addressing a press conference at Jengraimukh, Gogoi said, ”We highlight the most important issue of the people when the Yatra passes through a state. In Manipur, from where we started, it was the ongoing violence. In Nagaland, it was non-fulfilment of promises made for a final peace accord. ”In Assam, people told us that they are not getting jobs, prices are high but instead of solving these, the CM is indulging in corruption and trying to get his family and his close coterie super rich. That’s why the focus is on corruption,” the MP, who represents Assam’s Kaliabor in the Lok Sabha, claimed.
The Yatra is scheduled to cover 6,713 km in 67 days while passing through 110 districts in 15 states, culminating in Mumbai on March 20.
Gogoi maintained that the Congress has been exposing the ‘corruption’ of the CM and his family and questioned why those in power in Delhi (centre) are not taking action against Sarma.
”We want to question why the BJP likes corrupt CMs. Who is that person in Delhi who likes the corrupt CMs and keeps them in power?” he asked.
Referring to the Saradha chit fund and Louis Berger bribery scams, in which Sarma’s name had figured, Gogoi questioned, ”Will FIRs be lodged against Sarma for these? Or has he been cleansed of his misdoings?” Sarma was a minister in the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government when charges against him in these cases emerged. He went on to quit the grand old party in 2015 and joined the BJP.
”People are aware of these things and they demand justice. We are not afraid of the BJP and wherever they want to spread fear, we will ignite the fire of courage,” the MP added.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah alleged that Sarma had joined BJP to escape being framed in corruption cases.
The APCC chief also accused Sarma of being a ‘backstabber’, claiming that he had done so in case of two former Congress CMs, Late Hiteswar Saikia and Late Tarun Gogoi.
”He was the trusted aide of Sarbananda Sonowal, who was the CM from 2016 to 2021. But he betrayed his trust and got himself perched on the CM’s chair in 2021 polls,” Borah claimed.
He also recalled how Sarma had once wrote on the micro-blogging site X (then Twitter) of his lifelong loyalty towards Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, and made disparaging remarks against incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi at public rallies.
”Sarma can try with all his might but we are not afraid of him. We will go to jail if needed,” Borah added.