Guwahati, Nov 6: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday accused Congress MP Rakibul Hussain of misusing his authority by allegedly making backdoor appointments during his tenure as the minister of state for home affairs.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of an election rally in Bongaigaon on Wednesday, Sarma said, “For a long time, people of Assam had doubts over such backdoor appointments made in favour of a lot of people. At that time, there was a lot of controversy in this regard as well.”
The chief minister said Hussain himself, a couple of days back, “admitted” during a rally to having made such backdoor appointments during his tenure as the minister of state for home affairs.
“Now, since Hussain has admitted to making such appointments, the matter would now be examined by the government once the by-elections in the state are over. I have asked the police to question Hussain in this regard,” Sarma said.
The chief minister also referred to former Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) chairman Rakesh Paul’s jail term after the latter’s alleged involvement in the cash-for-job-scam.
“So, if Rakesh Paul has gone to jail over unauthorised recruitments during his tenure as APSC chairman, this matter (Hussain making backdoor appointments) would also be investigated by police after the by-polls,” he said.
The chief minister was in Bongaigaon to campaign for Deeptimoyee Choudhury, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidate in the upcoming by-election. Deeptimoyee is the wife of Lok Sabha MP and eight-time MLA, Phani Bhusan Choudhury.
“For decades, NDA has worked for the development of Bongaigaon which has ensured sustained progress of the region; we hope to continue such work in the days to come,” Sarma said, while recalling his visits to Bongaigaon since December 2022 during which he initiated development work under various schemes across sectors.
The chief minister also campaigned for NDA ally, United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) candidate Nirmal Kumar Brahma in Sidli constituency.
“Sidli and nearby regions in BTR have seen sustained peace after years of violence due to the efforts made by the triple-engine government,” Sarma said.
