State ministers asked to submit list of assets

State ministers asked to submit list of assets

By Our Correspondent GUWAHATI, June 27 – Senior Congress leader and party in-charge, Assam, Veerappa Moily has asked the Congress Ministers in Assam to submit their respective statement of assets and liabilities to the Chief Minister. This comes after the arrest of former State Education Minister Ripun Bora by the CBI, while he was allegedly trying to offer bribe to a CBI official in New Delhi. Though Moily did not make any comment on Bora, he, however said that ‘the law will take its own course’ He further stated that a suggestion has been made during a meeting with the Congress leaders, on making the filing of the statement of assets and liabilities compulsory by passing the same in the State Assembly as it is done in some of the other States.Moily was speaking to the media persons here at the Circuit House today. On the ‘tainted’ Ministers of the State, he said, “Charges against the Ministers would be there and the party leadership could react only if some concrete evidences are produced.”Moily while underscoring the need for a better co-ordination between the party and the ruling Government, especially the Ministers, stated, “I want a better relationship between the party workers and the Ministers and so I have urged the Ministers to make regular visits to the party offices.”The senior Congress leader also expressed satisfaction over the unilateral ceasefire declared by the leaders of the ULFA’s 28th battalion and appealed the other members to come forward for talks as well. Moily also divulged that during the manifesto committee meeting with the party members, it was revealed that as far as equality between the urban and the rural population in Assam is concerned, Assam is presently ranked number one.On the concerns voiced by Assam over the proposed mega hydel projects in Arunachal Pradesh, he said that the issue would be discussed with the Union Irrigation Minister soon. He further stated that a host of other core issues were discussed during his meeting with the party members and leaders including Assam Accord implementation, setting up of development councils for ethnic communities, welfare of the minorities, tea tribes and other backward communities.“Issues like infrastructure development, power scenario, health, education, employment generation and filling up of backlog of vacancies for ST and SC were discussed,” informed Moily.The Congress executive committee meeting discussed at length the execution of the loan waiving scheme announced by the Central Government recently. Source: assam tribune

Court says no to bail plea of Ripun, 2 others

Court says no to bail plea of Ripun, 2 others

The court of R K Jain in Delhi court on Saturday rejected the bail petitions of sacked education minister Ripun Bora and two of his associates and extended their judicial remand by July 5. Before that Bora, his aides Ramesh Maheswari and Mukul Pathak were produced before the court and after hearing the arguments, the court rejected their bail petitions. On the other hand, the Delhi High Court is also remaining closed to hear the petition challenging the lower court order.
The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Bora and Maheswari from Delhi and Pathak from Guwahati on June 3 charging with trying to bribe one of its official who is probing the sensation Denial Topno murder case. After the end of the CBI custody the trio have been remanded to judicial custody and sent to the Tihar Jail. Talking to the waiting reporters, Bora said he would spill the beans the real story once he gets bail.

Floods spark blame-game in Congress

Floods spark blame-game in Congress - Party split on relief steps
A STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, June 16: The flash floods in Assam’s Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts have triggered a wave of displeasure even within the government.

Some members of the ruling Congress have accused the revenue, water resources and finance departments of not taking timely measures to secure the embankments in the flood-prone districts.

Sources said floods in Lakhimpur district had affected at least 347 villages. Around 200 families in Bihpuria town have started dismantling their homes in anticipation of a major breach in embankment.

The death toll in the flood-hit district has risen to six with two more bodies being recovered from Nowboicha constituency.

Things came to such a pass that elected representatives of the Congress are even asking Opposition members to convey to the flood-affected that their suffering has been caused by a natural calamity and adequate relief will be provided to them.

The development assumes significance because in most places the ruling and Opposition members do not see eye to eye. Sources in the Congress said all-party meetings were being held in the affected areas, particularly in Lakhimpur, Bihpuria and Nowboicha, whose MLA is an associate member of the Congress.

The locals are peeved with the ruling Congress for the apparent lack of flood-control initiatives. “What can we do if the government does not even sanction our project, leave alone release funds for them? The government is only giving assurances and we are facing the wrath of the people,” one of them said.

Party MLAs have even requested chief minister Tarun Gogoi to take swift action and release funds for both long and short-term flood control projects. They are also going to move the estimates committee of the Assembly.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader Dilip Saikia said, “The government is not at all serious about tackling floods. If it is really serious, it should order a CBI probe into where the funds released so far by it have disappeared.”

Revenue, water resource, finance department officials said they were helpless, when asked about the delay in sanctioning funds for the projects. Source: telegraph india

Say ‘No’ to the Bandh Culture

Say ‘No’ to the Bandh Culture

JP Rajkhowa

After respite for a month or so, the self- destructive bandh culture is again picking up momentum with the exposure of Ripun Bora’s attempt to bribe a CBI officer investigating the Daniel Topno murder case in which Bora is a suspect. The students’ wings of the tea tribes called Asom bandh on two different dates, demanding, inter alia, the expulsion of the disgraced former Education Minister from the Congress and exemplary punishment to him for his alleged involvement in the Daniel Topo murder case. While it is for the court of law to decide, in due course of time, whether Bora could be held guilty of the murder of Topno or abetment thereto, as per the laid down legal process, Bora has meanwhile been suspended from the party in view of his arrest by the CBI and remand to custody by the court. Further boost has been given to the bandh culture by the recent decision of the Centre to hike the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas, and the failure of the government to control the galloping inflation which has hit the aam aadmi and the middle class as a whole, most severely. Although the Union Finance Minister declared a number of sops, including withdrawal of customs duty on edible oils, pulses etc, as also reduction of excise duties on construction materials like cement and steel, the benefits have not been passed on to the consumers by unscrupulous elements. Public anger against the government is building up as a result of its failure, both at the Central and State level, to act firmly and decisively against hoarders and black marketers. On the other hand, the report of falling agricultural production, eatables in particular, as had appeared in the Economic Survey Report 2008, created the fear of a possible food crisis, with the developed West diverting huge agricultural areas from production of wheat and corn to bio-fuels. The recent report of 2.5 per cent agricultural growth during the financial year 2007-08 has failed to assure the country of food availability, not to speak of food security. The opposition parties are up in arms against the UPA dispensation for its failure on the price front and are not bothered even when the crude oil price per barrel has gone up to US $139, and could even go up even further according to various forecasts, which in fact compelled the Centre to bring down the subsidy regime. One thing which has made the Centre’s stand self-contradictory seems to be the farmers debt relief scheme at a whopping cost of nearly Rs 70, 000 crore, which has failed to have any impact on the suicide rate of farmers in the targeted States. As the parliamentary elections are scheduled after a couple of months, the opposition has been given a unique opportunity to campaign against the UPA.Interestingly, it is the UPA partners in power and the Left front together with the BJP, though operating from different platforms, which have spearheaded a countrywide campaign against the unchecked inflation and other failures of the Centre. The Left front called a general strike in the Left-ruled States of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura against price rise and other failures of the Centre by diplomatically avoiding the use of ‘‘bandh’’ which has been banned by the apex court. The hartal paralysed life in these States and brought all economic activities to a total halt. In effect, the hartal had had greater adverse impact on the aam aadmi and the economy as compared to a bandh called by any political party or organization, because it was a government-sponsored affair. The result was disruption in the transportation and supply of essential commodities, and loss of millions of precious man-hours. In Asom too, while the Left parties scrupulously avoided calling an Asom bandh, they declared a rail roko and rasta roko programme, which had had the effect of a bandh at many places and certainly went against the interests of the aam aadmi for whom they had ostensibly launched an agitation of sorts. Such double standards practised by the Left parties, going for a bandh in disguise, indicate the deteriorating standards of the so-called people-friendly parties.In Asom, in spite of a legal ban in force, parties and organizations do not mind calling a ‘protest’ bandh; so we have had a couple of Asom bandhs in the past fortnight, including one by the AGP as well as by some other regional parties, against government failures to control price rise and the recent hike in the price of some petroleum products. The bandh was a total success, as all State and non-State activities came to a grinding halt for long 12 hours, with the working hours at offices and establishments lost for one full day. By the time shops and bazaars started opening, there was shortage of most essential commodities; fish, meat and vegetables had almost disappeared; and whatever was available cost more than 50 per cent of the normal price. Again, the aam aadmi — daily wage earners, small-time vegetable dealers coming from distant villagers, poor fishermen, and other small-time vendors — was the biggest loser. The State government remained a mute spectator, as even the nationalized banks did not open their shutters. In the recent past, there was a similar bandh in the BTC areas which had the backing of the BTC authorities and was a total success. Many lives have also been lost during bandhs at different places in the State, with some recent casualties in the Goalpara district where the Rabha-Hasongs declared bandh against holding of panchayat elections and non-Rabha organizations followed suit, demanding holding of elections. The entire academic environment of the State has been vitiated by the frequent bandh calls given by different organizations, which has also resulted in brain drain from this State, apart from the great loss caused due to loss of class-hours. Would anyone listen and stop calling bandh for highlighting public grievances? Should any organization that calls a bandh or hartal continue to do so with impunity? Should not there be a code of conduct for political parties, students’ organizations and other bodies which should rather devise other means of peaceful protests? Would the government launch a public campaign against the self-destructive and destabilizing bandh culture and come forward to provide security to those who mobilize public opinion against bandh in all its hues? Why cannot the government ensure full presence during bandhs by making suitable arrangement for office-goers to commute so that at least State establishments and banks, railways and air transport services remain functional?While it is heartening that a number of organizations led by senior citizens had, in the recent past, come out openly opposing bandhs called by the outlawed ULFA, by and large people have not come out to defy other bandh calls, which is certainly a matter of great concern as the people’s right to free movement and pursuit of their rightful occupation gets negated by bandhs. During the past three years, so many public appeals were made by senior citizens, the intelligentsia and other right-minded people calling upon the people and organizations to say an assertive ‘‘No’’ to bandhs, but the people and organizations that matter are yet not impressed.In the backdrop of the ever increasing bandh calls, it is encouraging to know that some students’ organizations demanding ST status have announced protest demonstrations other than bandh — such as wearing of leaves and barks like the aborigines and Dispur chalo agenda with the male coming half-naked and female protesters spreading their hair. Earlier, we have had the experience of the Bodoland agitators shaving off their hair and writing their demands on their bare bodies which, as many felt, did have an impact, drawing wide media publicity too. Peaceful jail bharo or Dispur chalo programme could be a much better alternative to bandh, but then the organizers and the authorities would have to ensure that there would be no repetition of any Beltola kind of incident as that of last November. The AASU recently organized a State-wide demonstration in which its participants observed a kind of maun brat by gagging their mouth with a piece of white cloth. It was in good taste, people felt. Mass fasting/ individual fasting by prominent leaders was widely resorted to as a component of the non- violent movement launched by Gandhiji in his exemplary struggle for independence from British colonial rule. A number of interesting modes of protest, as part of Gandhigiri, came to public view in Lage Raho Munnabhai too, a movie of recent times. As reported in the media, one such experiment — presentation of flowers — was launched by a few organizations in some parts of the country, which was quite successful. Well, there are so many decent and pro-people ways in which public protests could take place, so that the voice of the people is heard and acted upon by the authorities in the right earnest. Would our political parties, youth wings of the parties, and students’ organizations make a resolve of their own to say ‘‘No’’ to any proposed bandh and harp on methods of peaceful protests that would not hurt the people and the nation at large? It is time it happened.(The writer was Chief Secretary, Assam) Source: sentinel assam editorial 15.06.08

The Ripun Bora Syndrome

The Ripun Bora Syndrome

How many ministers, and even the rest of the MLAs or MPs, do not belong to the upper economic class? One should find out what they get as salary, what they can acquire as assets with that salary, and what they really acquire

Bikash Sarmah

It should not have taken a Ripun Bora to shake the conscience of the people of Assam. Corruption and other forms of immorality are nothing new in this land of ours. There have been several instances in the past to prompt us into questioning the very need for democracy and the so-called welfare state if our leaders find it far more convenient to act as monarchs after being elected by the people. There have been instances that reflect on the ease with which our elected representatives manipulate the course of investigation against them and trample on the law of the land, and on their remarkable ability to win elections without performing anything at all — and despite the fraud they commit on the electorate. Therefore, the Ripun Bora episode is no big surprise. But there is something disturbing. It is the increasing frequency with which politicians are trying to buy their image by bribing those who matter, as also the increasing frequency with which those who matter are willing to be sold at fancy prices.In the wake of the arrest of the sacked Assam Education Minister, this newspaper has received several letters from its readers expressing shock and dismay over the incident. It is as if all of a sudden a realization has dawned upon them all as to the very destiny of their State in the hands of the political species who they have elected to serve them. The letters, which this newspaper has already published, have one thing in common: knowledge of how the elected representatives have served — or would serve — them and of how easy it is for the powers-that-be to influence the course of law and justice. Some of the letters point to the ‘‘taint’’ in the Gogoi cabinet and how the ‘‘tainted ministers’’ continue to enjoy protection from the Chief Minister himself because they are either his trusted lieutenants or extremely powerful on their own.What is surprising is the propensity of the people to react only after the inevitable has happened, and not when their sustained reaction and activism in the past could have worked out wonders for them and their society. It is amusing that only after the arrest of Ripun Bora the people should wake up and even spot the ‘‘taint’’ in the Gogoi ministry when it is common knowledge who is what — right when Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was forming his Council of Ministers, whether in 2001 or in 2006. So why this sudden awakening? To show that we are all alive and kicking as conscious citizens?This is not to even remotely suggest that people should not react when they have the scope and reason to react to episodes such as Ripun Bora’s. What I am trying to argue is that Ripun Bora cannot be so sudden a provocation when you already know the extent of criminalization of politics and politicization of crime in your beloved State. How many letters have people written to different newspapers about Ripun Bora between the day when the Gauhati High Court directed the CBI to investigate into the murder of Daniel Topno and the day when Bora was arrested by the CBI in New Delhi for attempting to bribe a CBI officer investigating the case? How many columnists have written pieces in different newspapers on Ripun Bora and his alleged involvement in the murder of Topno between the two days? We were all sleeping in utter bliss. Now of course we are smart citizens.It should not have taken so long to wake up and see the scheme of things that Dispur would anyway design. Here you have mostly leaders whose merit is not the virtue of being great democracy practitioners but the power of money and muscle that democracy seems to have sanctioned and legitimized for the sake of their sustenance — so that they may preside over our destiny only to take us closer to our doomsday every passing day. It should not have taken the people of the State a Ripun Bora to have a feel of Dispur as it is now, when they know it pretty well how even cheats and thugs can make a fortune in the profession of politics in this wondrous country. How many of us do not know that even if one fails in all spheres of life he has absolutely no reason to worry provided he has money and muscle power, because there is the profession of politics to absorb and reward him suitably? How many of us do not know that there is no place for saints in politics even though it is this politics that has helped sinners transform into ‘saints’ overnight?One may call it ‘‘Ripun Bora syndrome’’: the tendency of elected representatives to mould the state machinery to their own advantage, given the high success rate in the field; the tendency to make the law of the land subservient to them and their relatives; and the tendency, therefore, to break all laws — and also because as lawmakers they think the various laws they make should not exist for, and be applicable to, them and it is only the hoi polloi who should be bound by the laws. T here is another aspect of the Ripun Bora syndrome. It is the belief of powerful politicians that they are the state and, therefore, its resources are theirs, which means they think they have the divine right to loot the state exchequer and bleed the state dry. How many ministers, and even the rest of the MLAs or MPs, do not belong to the upper economic class? One should find out what they get as salary, what they can acquire as assets with that salary, and what they really acquire. One should find out how disproportionate their wealth is to their known sources of income.Is the Ripun Bora syndrome inevitable in the present scheme of things? It is inevitable, as many would argue, because people have no choice but to elect someone from the lot who are just the ones, as the people themselves know, who will not serve them because their commitment is not to the people but to their own interests. However, the people are at complete liberty to opt for a seemingly undemocratic practice — that of not at all exercising their right to franchise when they see there is none to cast their valuable votes for. This is the only option when democracy fails the people. This is the only option for the sake of a new democracy. Let the message, loud and clear, go to the candidates and the political parties they belong to that they do not deserve democratic mandate because they do not deserve to go to the august House of the people if they face allegations of crime and corruption and, despite this, if they want to be lawmakers.The tragedy of Assam is its people, their attitude, the lack of meaningful activism among them, and their inability to sustain whatever activism they help fashion. Going back to the reactions that have come after the arrest of the former State Education Minister, the question is not of the kind or intensity of reactions but one of their sustainability. There should be a sustained campaign against all forms of corruption in politics and its criminalization. But where is activism by citizens? Where are individuals to lead them? Even after the Ripun Bora disgrace, has anyone seen citizens’ groups or civil society groups staging demonstrations against the alleged taint in the government of the day? Or do the civil society groups in Assam exist solely for the protection of human rights of ‘insurgents’?Ripun Bora’s is not an isolated case. It is part of a continuum whose genesis lies in the manner in which politics is practised in India and in the indifference of the people to both criminalization of politics and politicization of crime. Ripun Bora’s is a manifestation of a kind of politics where the people remain resigned to their fate as decided by the politicians because they do not want to counter the might of ‘their’ leaders since they are either timid or unconcerned. It is the people who are responsible for the Ripun Bora syndrome. What have the people of Gohpur to say? And of Tezpur too, if one is talk of MK Subba? Source: sentinel assam

Gogoi in double trouble as AASU alleges more tainted ministers

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is landing in more trouble if All Assam Students Union is to be believed. The state's powerful students body has urged the prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to order CBI probe into the allegations against five cabinet minister of the Tarun Gogoi Government.Talking to reporters on Tuesday in the city, the AASU leaders said they called on Dr Singh in the capital on Monday and urged Dr Singh to order CBI probes into the allegations raised against five cabinet ministers citing some specific allegations against them namely health minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, water resources minister Bharat Chandra Narah, excise minister Gautom Roy and power minister Pradyut Bordoloi. In a memorandum submitted before the Prime Minister, the students body has sought his intervention in the implementation of the Assam Accord, separate identity for Assam Oil Division and also for steps to bail out the Numligarh Refinery from the crisis. AASU General Secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi said, "we called on PM on June 9 and apprised him of the allegations against these ministers and urged him to order CBI probe into these allegations."They informed that the Prime Minister will contact the Assam Government soon in this regard before asking CBI to probe these. AASU adviser Dr Samujjal Bhattacharjee alleged that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has been harbouring these tainted colleagues in his ministry. They further informed that in the memorandum they also demanded steps to implement the Assam Accord in letter and spirit, retaining of the current entity of the Assam Oil division, ensure subsidy for the Numligarh Refinery. They informed the mediamen that Dr Singh would soon seek report from the union home ministry."The Prime Minister has assured us of steps to address all these grievances and he himself has been monitoring these matters," said AASU president Shankar Prasad Roy.

Action & Reaction: Assam Govt to handover Prasanna Turung case to CBI

Action & Reaction: Assam Govt to handover Prasanna Turung case to CBI

Hours after the AASU submitted some specific allegations against five cabinet colleagues of Tarun Gogoi to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the first one to react with action is power minister Pradyut Bordoloi. Caught in the allegations of his role in the missing of Margherita NCP leader Prasanna Turung and his wife, the minister has urged the Chief Minister Mr Gogoi to hand the case over to CBI for a detail probe into it which the Assam Government has done accordingly.Talking to reporters on Tuesday, the minister said the government has done it in view of an aroused demand for a CBI probe as the police enquiry has been remaining clueless. Mr Turung and his wife Kamai Turung have been remaining untraced since April 8, 2007 from Margherita.According to Mr Bordoloi, there is widespread rumour among a section of people that a political conspiracy could be working in the missing of the Turungs.The minister said as soon as he received the complaint from Tirap Autonomous Demand Committee, he ordered the Tinsukia police superintendent to look into it with due seriousness but police investigation is still clueless.This has forced the minister for power, commerce and industry and also Margherita MLA Pradyut Bordoloi to urged the Chief Minister to order a CID or CBI probe into the case so that the real culprit could be identified and punished..The minister has admitted that the arrest of Ripun Bora has done a lot of harm for both party and the government.

Lakra demands capital punishment to Ripun

Lakra demands capital punishment to Ripun

From our CorrespondentTAMARHAT, June 9: AASAA president Justin Lakra demanded the death penalty for ex-Education Minister Ripun Bora, who was caught red-handed for trying to bribe a CBI officer with Rs10 lakh relating to the Daniel Topno murder case in Delhi. Lakra also demanded the arrest of Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for providing political protection to Ripun Bora. In an interview by newspersons in his residence today, Lakra alleged that in Daniel Topno murder case, Tarun Gogoi is equally responsible because when the case was in Gauhati High Court, the Judge who was supposed to handle the case was transferred, so that the matter could be handed over to the CBI.Calling Gogoi as Hitler of Asom, Lakra said that Gogoi has no moral right to be in power. AASAA has decided to hold protest meetings in every district and subdivisions on June 13 next to the protest against Sonia Gandhi’s visit. On the other hand, the 12 hour Asom bandh called by the AASAA was peaceful in Gossaigaon subdivision today.

Lakra demands capital punishment to Ripun

Lakra demands capital punishment to Ripun

From our CorrespondentTAMARHAT, June 9: AASAA president Justin Lakra demanded the death penalty for ex-Education Minister Ripun Bora, who was caught red-handed for trying to bribe a CBI officer with Rs10 lakh relating to the Daniel Topno murder case in Delhi. Lakra also demanded the arrest of Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for providing political protection to Ripun Bora. In an interview by newspersons in his residence today, Lakra alleged that in Daniel Topno murder case, Tarun Gogoi is equally responsible because when the case was in Gauhati High Court, the Judge who was supposed to handle the case was transferred, so that the matter could be handed over to the CBI.Calling Gogoi as Hitler of Asom, Lakra said that Gogoi has no moral right to be in power. AASAA has decided to hold protest meetings in every district and subdivisions on June 13 next to the protest against Sonia Gandhi’s visit. On the other hand, the 12 hour Asom bandh called by the AASAA was peaceful in Gossaigaon subdivision today.

AASU moves PM seeking CBI probe against 5 Asom ministers

AASU moves PM seeking CBI probe against 5 Asom ministers

By our Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, June 10: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has moved Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh demanding CBI inquiry into the allegations against a number of Asom ministers. The students’ body has told the Prime Minister that Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was protecting the ‘‘tainted ministers’’ of his Cabinet. A delegation of the AASU held a meeting with Dr Singh at his official residence in New Delhi yesterday.Talking to newsmen here today, AASU president Sankar Prasad Rai, general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi and advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya said they demanded of the Prime Minister to ensure CBI inquiry against Asom Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, Water Resources Minister Bharat Narah, Border Area Development Minister Gautam Roy and Power and Industries Minister Pradyut Bordoloi. The AASU leaders told the Prime Minister that Gogoi’s protective cover on his ‘‘tainted ministers’’ was proved with the arrest of former Education Minister Ripun Bora by the CBI.According to the AASU, while Himanta Biswa Sarma faces allegations of corruption and possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources on income, Rockybul Hussain faces allegations like involvement in the killing of journalist Prahlad Goala for exposing the encroachment of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) land by people of suspected nationalities, Bharat Narah faces allegations of massive corruption in construction of embankments, Gautam Roy is an accused in the Pratul Deb murder case, and Pradyut Bordoloi faces an allegation of his involvement in the abduction of Prasanna Turung and his wife.The Prime Minister, according to the AASU leaders, said that the arrest of Ripun Bora was unfortunate. He, however, refused to air any comment on the demand for CBI inquiry into the allegations against other ministers of Gogoi’s Cabinet. “I will have to talk to the Asom Chief Minister because recommendations from his Government for any CBI inquiry into the allegations is a must,” the AASU leaders quoted the Prime Minister as telling them.According to the AASU leaders, the Prime Minister also expressed his surprise over the non-implementation of important clauses of the Assam Accord like total sealing of the border with Bangladesh, NRC update etc. “I will seek reports from the Asom Government and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the implementation of the Assam Accord. Another round of tripartite talks on the Assam Accord will be held soon,” the AASU leaders quoted the Prime Minister as assuring them. During the meet, the AASU leaders termed Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi as the ‘‘saviour of Bangladeshis’’ for which detected foreigners do the vanishing act under his administration in the State.

CBI likely to probe Turung case

By our Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, June 10: The Asom Government will take up the case relating to the mysterious disappearance of Tirap Autonomous District Council Demand Committee (TADCDC) leader Prasanna Turung and his wife Kamal Turung with the CBI for investigation. The Turung couple has been missing since April 8, 2007.Talking to newsmen here today, Asom Power and Industries Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has agreed to take up the case with the CBI for investigation. Bordoloi made it to the State Assembly from Margherita LAC from where Turungs hail. It is worth mentioning here that the arrest of former Asom Education Minister Ripun Bora by the CBI has led to demand for CBI inquiry against a number of ministers of the State who have allegations against them. Bordoloi said the NCP has politicized the Turung case with an ulterior motive to show his involvement in the case. “Turung had been fighting elections since 1986 and he never got more than 2,000 votes. So how can he be a rival for me?” Bordoloi questioned, and said: “I myself took up the case with the then Tinsukia SP. The police conducted an investigation and arrested two suspects from Siliguri — Amu and Apu — who are on bail now. I approached the Assam Police on the Turung case as I thought that the State police force was capable enough to handle the case. Since the whereabouts of Turungs couldn’t be ascertained, I wrote a letter to the Chief Minister on June 5 requesting him to hand over the case to the CBI.” He said the Chief Minister assured him of requesting the CBI to take up the case.On the arrest of Ripun Bora, Bordoloi said: “It’s unfortunate. The incident has outraged the image of the party and the Government. We are, however, taking steps to restore the image of the party and the Government through developmental works under the leadership of Tarun Gogoi. Gogoi has already made it a point that criminals have no place in his Council of Ministers.” Source: Sentinel Assam

Ripun Borah episode and its significance

Ripun Borah episode and its significance

— Dr Akhil Ranjan Dutta

The education Minister of Assam, Ripun Bora was arrested on June 3, 2008 in New Delhi in the alleged case of bribing a CBI official. It happened in a dramatic way. The euphoria of the successful completion of two years in power of the Tarun Gogoi-led BPPF government in Assam that celebrated the anniversary on May 25, 2008 was not yet over. The opposition was virtually put into a state of mum by the Government with series of sops announced on the eve of the anniversary and also the subsequent announcement of the constitution of the New Pay Commission under the chairmanship of Bhaskar Baruah. The middle class, particularly the salaried section in the State was virtually forgetful of the high inflation and insecurity arising out of it amidst the announcements like increase of DA to 97 per cent and an interim relief fund of 10 per cent of the basic pay till the new Pay Commission comes up with its recommendations. To be precise, the Government was in a safer side despite its failure on almost all fundamental duties like law and order and also rendering the very basic services to the people. The North Cachar Autonomous Council episode unfolded and ended without attracting wrath of the public despite the dirty game played by the autonomous council and that of the State government around the issue of massacre carried out by the DHD (J), popularly known as the Black Widow. The sensation created by the resignation of the Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Prof Amarjyoti Choudhury and the subsequent act of taking over charge of the University administration by the Chancellor, the Governor of Assam Ajai Singh was also slowing down. As instructed by the Chief Minister, the Ministers were busy in bringing out huge and costly advertisements in the newspapers and electronic media focusing on the success stories of the respective ministries. There was no public initiative to scrutinise the tall and false claims. Tarun Gogoi, encircled by the most trusted trio – Himanta Biswa Sarmah, Rockybul Hussain and Ripun Borah and his best smile in face roaming around through big hoardings and colourful advertisements.It was amidst these happy moments that one of the trio within the Tarun Gogoi Ministry Ripun Borah, the Education Minister of the State, was caught in broad daylight by CBI while bribing one of its officials. As reported, the intention behind the bribing was to escape from the alleged involvement of Borah in the murder of his political rival Daniel Topno at his constituency in Gohpur in 2000. Two others, one businessman and a news paper reporter were also arrested in the same case. People have known and heard about corruption and bribing of many public officials including the ministers. But a minister bribing a cbi official was something extraordinary that people hardly can imagine. The episode reminds us about the increasing vulnerability of political institutions and political competition. Therefore, it is pertinent to read the whole episode critically from relevant political angles.The incident of bribing of a CBI official underscores the almost confirmed involvement of Ripun Borah in the Daniel Topno murder case. If it really had happened then we are surely back into a state of feudal barbarism in political competition. We can no longer be complacent of the fact that such barbarism is a monopoly of Northern India – the homelands of feudalism. It also underscores the fact that the line between political competition and political revenge resulting in political murder is becoming extremely thin.The rare adventure of bribing a CBI official by a minister signifies the gross vulnerability of political and public institutions in Assam. Within the trio of the Tarun Gogoi ministry Ripun Borah was perceived as relatively clean, transparent and less corrupt. But, a minister handling the Education portfolio and coming out open to challenge a Vice-Chancellor of a University forcing him to resign was supposed to have some political ethics and morality. A minister, who used to sit in the offices of the Directorate of Education at Kahilipara, Guwahati at least once a week with proclaimed intention of doing away with corruption, has now proved to be a big drama. It could now be well understood that he was rather patronising corruption to earn extra money to bribe others whenever and wherever necessary to sustain his political show. Unfortunately Ripun Borah is not alone in this mission. Most of us are involved directly or indirectly in the mission undertaken by Ripun Borah. It is an open secret that the college teachers are forced to give bribes to the officials at Directorate of Higher Education for receiving approval of appointments, confirmation of appointments and also financial approval. This episode has also unfolded the myth of ‘simplicity’; ‘fairness’ and ‘transparency’ in social and political dealings of the Chief Minister of the State. It is hardly difficult to understand that a Chief Minister encircled by corrupt political managers cannot be non-corrupt and transparent. Ripun Borah must have bribed the Assam Police and the Chief Minister’s Vigilance cell with knowledge and permission of the Chief Minister. The sanctity of the office of the Chief Minister and the departments under him are now under eyes of big public suspect.The reliability and credibility of the fourth estate of democracy i.e. media will now be questioned more after the Ripun Borah episode where a journalist from a reputed news paper played the key role in mediating the act of bribing. It is high time that the media itself follows the norms of journalism including salary and other allowances and develop strict internal vigilance over the movement and activities of its own staff. Nexus between politicians and media could result in the sort of devastation that people are afraid even of imagining.The role of the opposition has been most disappointing during the past few years. It was all in silence when people have been suffering from high price rise in essential commodities and other problems arising out of the mal-governance at different fronts. Series of corruption have been exposed through RTI. But the opposition preferred to take recourse in silence. May be more use of it will dig their graves too. There has been no plan on the part of the opposition to encircle the government around these failures in the ensuing interim burget session. Suddenly they have picked up the Ripun Borah episode and is creating a hue and cry. There is an apprehension that the government will convert this crisis into an opportunity by diverting people’s attention from failure in governance to ‘one man episode’ where the government has done its very basic responsibility by dropping him from the ministry.The important question that we need to ask is whether the Ripun episode is an isolated incident altogether. It is certainly not. This is a product of a particular historical and political setting that we have been put into. It is a moment where everything is considered as commodity and the sanctity of political or public institutions is hardly respected. This is indeed the gift of the neo-liberal economic policies pursued by the Indian state for around two decades now. Under this neo-liberal regime the government no longer remains a public institution and public affairs respectively. It is under these circumstances that we are gradually transiting back to barbaric feudalism in new forms and styles both in personal and public affairs. Therefore it is a structural crisis that we are confronting today. Solution to the crisis will also invite structural changes. It now depends on how do we plan and act for such a structural change. (The writer is a Reader in Peace and Conflict Studies in the Department of Political Science, Gauhati University). Source: Assam Tribune

Pradyut denies role in missing couple’s case

Responding to insinuations in a section of the media seeking to link him with the disappearance of a couple from Margherita, State Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said that contrary to it, he had done his best to help track the duo. He even favoured a CBI probe in this connection. In a press conference today the minister revealing his concern and apprehension over the missing persons, stated he had been in constant touch with the police after Prasanna Turung and his wife Kamai Turung went missing in April 2007. Close on the heels of their sudden disappearance he had written a letter to the Tinsukia SP and sent a copy of that communication to the Director General of Police. This year he also wrote to the Chief Minister in his personal capacity. In his letter to the Chief Minister, dated June 5, 2008, he stated, “I would request you to kindly consider handing over the case either to the CID or to the CBI as you deem fit.”Referring to the case of the missing couple, Bordoloi mentioned that he had known Prasanna Turung, as he was a candidate from Margherita on several elections in the recent past. In 2006 Turung had represented the NCP while contesting the Assembly polls. Therefore, after he and his wife went missing on April 8, 2007, and FIRs filed, he also contacted the police requesting a sustained investigation.In due course the police made a special squad to put a trace on the missing couple. Subsequently, two persons – Komu and Apu – were arrested from Siliguri by the West Bengal Police. They also spent some time in custody before they were let out on bail. Bordoloi scotched rumours that he could be in anyway linked to the disappearance of the Turungs, saying, “My culture and ethos would never allow me to spite or harm any one who could be a political rival. Besides, that would not be in the spirit of my party under the leadership of Tarun Gogoi.”He went on to say that it was difficult to describe Prasanna Turung as his political rival because although the former had contested elections on several occasions, he had polled votes in the range of 150 to 2,000. Bordoloi, on the other hand, had won the last elections with a margin of around 60,000 votes.Interestingly, the minister hinted at a possible NSCN link to the case. Prasanna Turung’s wife belonged to the Tangsa tribe and had roots in Changlang, and some family members suspected people close the NSCN active in that part of Arunachal Pradesh could be involved in the mysterious disappearance. Source: assam tribune

Rockybul refutes conspiracy angle

Forest Minister and Government spokesperson Rockybul Hussain today sought to refute the ‘conspiracy’ angle over the arrest of sacked Education Minister Ripun Bora who was arrested by the CBI in Delhi on the charge of offering a bribe of Rs 10 lakh to the investigating agency. Reacting to party MP Kirip Chaliha’s statement before the media on Thursday that the developments culminating in Bora’s arrest strongly pointed to a conspiracy, and that in all likelihood the Chief Minister had knowledge about it, Hussain, while addressing the media with Water Resources Minister Bharat Narah, said that Chaliha’s theory of a conspiracy as also the allegation against the Chief Minister was baseless and motivated. Hussain also said that the matter would be taken up with the disciplinary action committee of the Congress for taking necessary action against Chaliha. “The matter would be informed to the party disciplinary committee,” he said. To a query whether Chaliha’s statement revealed infighting and wrangling in the party, the Minister replied in the negative. He also refused to comment on the reported statement of Bora that a Congress Minister and an MP were behind his arrest. Hussain also came down heavily on the AGP, BJP and AGP (P) for their tirade against the Congress over the Ripun Bora episode, saying that the three parties had all along been shielding their proven criminal leaders and that they had no moral right to demand Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s resignation over the issue.“While this is not to justify the incident involving Ripun Bora, the fact stands that the AGP, BJP and AGP (P) have a number of criminals as their leaders, whom they have been promoting all along. The Congress has already removed Bora from the ministry following the incident, and the law would take its own course,” he said, adding that the opposition parties had taken action on none of their tainted leaders. The Minister also denied media reports that the Congress high command had sought a list of ‘tainted leaders’ of the Assam Congress. “As far as my knowledge goes, there has been no such instruction from the high command,” he said.

Ripun’s deal was for Rs 70 lakh

Our Staff Correspondent NEW DELHI, June 6 –

Mukul Pathak, the journalist who was arrested along with sacked Assam Education Minister Ripun Bora today said that the deal was originally for Rs 3.5 crore but was later negotiated down to Rs 70 lakh. The Rs 10 lakh that was allegedly paid on June 2 was the first instalment. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has officially described Mukul Pathak as a ‘conduit’.It may be mentioned that the duo was arrested along with a Delhi-based businessman, Ramesh Maheswari, in Delhi on the charge of offering a Rs 10-lakh bribe to the investigation agency. Pathak was produced before the court of VK Maheswari, Tis Hazari, today where the CBI was granted one more day’s of custody. All the three accused would be produced before the Special Court at Tis Hazari tomorrow. Mukul Pathak told newsmen while he was being produced at the court that he arranged for a meeting of Abhigyan Gogoi, a cousin of AB Gupta, DSP, CBI, Eastern Range, and Diganta Saikia, a surrendered ULFA man, with the CBI officer for arriving at a ‘deal’ with the latter. Pathak said that he only acted as a middle-man for Abhigyan, Diganta and Ripun Bora, and beyond that he had no role in the entire episode. Incidentally, Abhigyan is a son of Nomal Gogoi, an Assam Police officer, and also a cousin of the CBI DSP AB Gupta. Gogoi’s wife, a Bengali woman, is a sister-in-law of AB Gupta. Pathak, who broke down several times in the court today, claimed that he merely arranged for the meeting for the deal, and that he neither collected nor gave the money. Pathak, however, said that he was treated ‘fairly’ by the CBI. His only grievance was that he had been in the same pair of dress since his arrest.

How Many Ripuns?

It will not do for disgraced former Asom Education Minister Ripun Bora to blame others, including some from his own party, for the turn of events that took him to New Delhi to bribe a CBI officer. It will not do for Bora to talk about conspiracies against him — at least not now even if one is to assume for a moment that some of his rivals were hatching a plot against him. This cannot justify what Bora is now known for. The fact is that he is a suspect in the Daniel Topno murder case, that the then young tea tribe leader Topno was a challenge to Bora’s rising political stars, and that last Tuesday Bora did try to bury the case for ever by bribing an officer of the country’s premier investigative agency. The fact is that Bora, by attempting to silence the CBI’s investigating officer with the lure of his lucre, was simply pointing to his own past, beginning September 2000 when Daniel Topno was killed by ‘unidentified men’. The ghost of that past is now back, despite Bora’s best efforts of the time to chase it away.To add to what we said in this column yesterday, a case being investigated by the CBI ought to have acted on Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s conscience when he was choosing his cabinet in 2006 to begin his second stint at Dispur. Surely the Gohpur MLA, who carried the taint of being a suspect in a murder case which the CBI had already started to investigate at that point of time, could not have been a ministerial choice for a government promising transparency and a society free of crime and corruption. However, that was what Mr Tarun Gogoi chose to ignore. Even otherwise, what was there to exclusively qualify Ripun Bora to be the Education Minister of the State? That there was someone who showed the promise of being capable of humiliating the likes of former Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Amarjyoti Choudhury? The crux of the matter is that, thanks to the kind of politics that has plagued the land of the Mahatma, a person against whom the CBI was investigating in a murder case was given the responsibility of looking after the educational affairs of the State. Would the Chief Minister now admit that blunder, even though it is too late to make any course correction? An answer is in order.Having said this, we wonder how many Ripuns could be freely flourishing all about us and how many such souls, who otherwise pose as saviours of the society, are yet to come and would be allowed to wield power and authority. One wonders how long this society will endure such fraud in the name of ‘development’. What is of course clear is that the voters are forced to mandate candidates with criminal background — proven or alleged — because as ordinary citizens they have no option but to be resigned to their fate knowing it pretty well that money and muscle power is all that counts for one to be a lawmaker only to prove himself to be an excellent lawbreaker too. If Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is reading this, he should sit up and give a thought to the damaging effect of criminalization of politics and politicization of crime in this State of ours on the generations to come. However, if he remains indifferent to the reality, he will prove himself to be yet another leader who has preferred expediency and short-term gains to meaningful politics and governance. This is not any advice, just a suggestion to fall on ears that are not deaf or have gone deaf due to choice.

Not Just the Ripuns

The arrest of Guwahati-based journalist Mukul Pathak for being an associate of Ripun Bora should not come as a surprise. We have long held that not all journalists are saints. The question could be a bit more harsh: How many journalists are really what they pose as? Or, how many of them are not really saleable? What is disturbing is not the fact of a journalist being at the service of a tainted minister for pecuniary gains, but the frequency with which such incidents should come to light. This is something that the journalistic fraternity would do well to introspect on and spruce itself for the people to trust the community and respect the profession of journalism. Indeed, as prices rise and the glamour quotient strikes one and all, many among the journalists too would have temptations to look for avenues to make quick money, quite like those in other professions. But then, the journalists will forfeit their right to speak for the people, their right to report or comment and analyse, their right to expose the evil, their right to preach in newspaper columns and television shows. We must remember that if politicians have journalists on their pay rolls, it is because the journalists have allowed themselves to be sold — paid as they are for not publishing things or for publishing what their real masters want. It is time to identify the Mukuls, not just the Ripuns. Source: Sentinel Assam

AGP holds dharna; asks Gogoi to quit; CM questions AGP moral rights

The main Opposition Asom Gana Parishad goes for a statewide dharna on Thursday demanding Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s resignation after the arrest of his education minister Ripun Bora even as the Chief Minister says the regional party has no moral right to seek his resignation.The regional further demand CBI probe into the allegations of some other members in the Gogoi cabinet to unearth the truth behind these. The party on Wednesday took out a procession to the Raj Bhawan from the party headquarters and met the governor Lt general (Retd) Ajoy Singh to dismiss the Gogoi Government. In yet another development, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said he would never resign in view of Ripun Bora’s arrest by CBI. He, however, said law would take its own course. When asked by the media people on Wednesday at the sidelines of a function at the Sankardev Kalakshetra, Mr Gogoi said the AGP has no moral right to demand his resignation. “When CBI was to chargesheet against Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in the multi crore Letter of Credit scam, did he resign?’ we his answer. Justifying Ripun Bora’s induction into the Cabinet the Chief Minister said said,” he was doing very well.” On the other hand, the All Assam Adivasi students Association of Assam has called for a 12 hour Assam bandh on Friday demanding capital punishment for Ripun Bora.

Source: Assam Times