Unraveling the APSC Scam: Himanta Biswa Sarma Urges Congress MP to Boldly Defend Ex-CM Father in Emotional Appeal
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi to publicly defend his father, former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, following a government report implicating him in the ‘cash-for-job’ scam related to state civil services recruitment. Speaking during the Assam Assembly’s Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s speech, Sarma also alleged that Gaurav Gogoi failed to declare expensive wedding gifts, reportedly received from the prime accused, Rakesh Kumar Paul, to the Income Tax Department.
The report was prepared by the one-man Justice (retd) BK Sharma Commission, tasked with investigating irregularities in the 2013 and 2014 Assam Public Service Commission’s (APSC) Combined Competitive Examination. It was presented to the Assembly on Monday. Sarma expressed surprise at Gaurav Gogoi’s silence despite accusations against his father surfacing over the past three days.
Rakesh Kumar Paul, appointed to the APSC by Tarun Gogoi and later promoted to chairman, is identified as the central figure in the scandal. The report criticizes Paul’s appointment process, highlighting the absence of formal selection or background checks, leading to systemic corruption at the APSC. Under Paul’s leadership, the APSC became, as described in the report, a “shop selling jobs,” with over 200 questionable selections during his tenure.
The ‘cash-for-job’ scam, revealed in 2016, saw the arrest of nearly 70 individuals, including Paul and numerous civil and police officials. Sarma, who served under Tarun Gogoi, initially resisted making the report public due to its critical findings against the former chief minister. However, pressure from Congress leaders led to its disclosure. In response, Sarma plans to compare Congress’s “dark history” with the BJP’s “transparent and clean” recruitment processes in the future.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/apsc-scam-report-himanta-biswa-sarma-asks-congress-mp-to-defend-ex-cm-father-1173467-2025-02-20?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-02-20 21:22:00
