Rs 1,000 Crore Scam in NC Hills, Assam

Guwahati, Feb 18 : Daring the Assam state Government to take action against the seven ministers named in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) report on the militant-politician-bureaucrat nexus in NC Hills district, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today urged Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to direct the NIA to file a supplementary charge sheet against the accused politicians.

“The NIA report made sensational revelations, linking seven ministers in the unprecedented Rs 1,000-crore scam by the militant-politician-bureaucrat nexus. But the ministers, i.e. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Rockybul Hussain, Khorsing Ingty, Akon Bora, Chandan Brahma, Gautam Roy and Ajanta Neog besides MP Dip Gogoi, brother of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Haflong MLA GC Langthasa, and the then Assam Governor Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh were let off following pressure by the Congress-led UPA Government, undermining seriously in the process the credibility of the top investigating agency, and more importantly, the unity and integrity of the country,” AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary said at a press conference.

Referring to a news item that had appeared on The Week’s February 7, 2010 issue, Patowary said it was apparent that the NIA report was brushed under the carpet by the UPA Government to save the Congress regime in the State even though it meant compromising with national interest.

“An impartial agency constituted precisely to deal with terror threats looming over the nation exposes a State Government’s link with a militant outfit that has been creating mayhem killing and looting hundreds of innocent people but the Government pressurizes the Centre into protecting the ministers named specifically in the report. The Tarun Gogoi Government is directly patronizing militant outfits, with seven of its ministers involved in the embezzlement of development funds worth Rs 1,000 crore in cahoots with militants,” Patowary said, adding that the State Government had no moral right to be in power.

Money From Scam Used to Buy Arms and Ammunition for Dimasa Militants

Terming the developments as jeopardizing the future of democracy, Patowary wondered what the people could expect from a Government that was little more than a puppet in the hands of militants, with the ministers themselves providing astronomical funds to militants for procuring arms.

“The Centre’s role is even more disturbing, as it has not just turned a blind eye to the murky developments but gone to the extent of protecting the State Government by brushing aside the NIA’s impartial findings,” he said.

Asserting that the AGP’s claims on the State Government’s militant nexus stood vindicated, Patowary said that the only redeeming stance the Centre could take now was to direct the NIA to issue a supplementary charge sheet indicting the seven ministers. “We expect the Prime Minister to take such a step as the matter has implications beyond the State of Assam and involves the nation’s sovereignty and integrity,” Patowary said.

CPI shocked: Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India, Assam State Council has expressed shock at the reported revelations in the NIA report linking seven ministers of the State cabinet in the Rs 1,000-crore scam in NC Hills district in cahoots with militants, and demanded immediate expulsion of the ministers, besides initiating stringent legal action on them as well as the other accused former Governor Lt General (retd) Ajai Singh, an MP, an MLA, and a few bureaucrats and businessmen.

In a statement, the CPI said the happenings were a threat to the democratic system of governance and unless dealt with a firm hand, would totally disintegrate the nation.