AGP fires graft salvo at Cong

A STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, May 22: The AGP today alleged that the massive function the Tarun Gogoi government plans to organise tomorrow to mark its fourth anniversary is being funded by the ministers’ “black money”.

The AGP president, Chandra Mohan Patowary, said the Assam government, by spending a huge amount of money “to blow its own trumpet”, had shown that it was least bothered about the problems plaguing the state.

He alleged that corruption had peaked in nine years of Congress rule in the state and the Rs 1,000-crore scam in Dima Hasao district, formerly known as North Cachar Hills, was only the tip of the iceberg.

“As directed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the chief minister had asked his ministerial colleagues and MLAs to furnish detailed lists of their property and other assets in February this year. Surprisingly, till today, the ministers have not been able to submit their asset lists,” Patowary said. He claimed that the ministers had accumulated assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

Accusing the state government of only showcasing central government schemes, Patowary said: “There is nothing to cheer about as the government has miserably failed in providing employment to 22 lakh jobless youths, implementing the Assam Accord, solving the perennial problems of insurgency, floods and erosion, besides agriculture and industrial crisis.”

“Apart from the central schemes, the Gogoi government has hardly taken up any development scheme on its own,” Patowary said. He said schemes like the National Rural Health Mission, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Indira Awas Yojana were initiated by the Vajpayee government.