CAG report heat on Gogoi

Guwahati, Dec 1 : The ruling Congress found itself in a Catch-22 situation following mounting attack against Dispur over the special CAG audit report exposing massive corruption in NC Hills Autonomous Council even as the AGP raised the scam in Parliament today.

PCC sources said they could neither go all out nor sit silent because they were yet to know the contents of the CAG report which has assumed importance because another CAG report had resulted in the exit of telecom minister A. Raja from the Union cabinet in the 2G Spectrum scam case.

Congress’s dilemma was best reflected in its response to the demand by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi, besides the AGP and the BJP, for resignation of chief minister Tarun Gogoi and three of his ministers for their alleged involvement in the scam.

A circumspect PCC general secretary Haren Das said: “It is difficult to comment on the charges as we have not seen the CAG report. This question is best addressed to the honourable chief minister but we have no reason to disbelieve him about not seeing the report. ”

The Pradesh Youth Congress, however, went hammer and tongs at Akhil Gogoi for his conduct rather than the content of the allegations. Its president Pijush Hazarika, said: “Akhil Gogoi is a blackmailer. He has used the RTI to blackmail people. He is being funded by a controversial PWD contractor.”

The only response of note came from the chief minister himself. “I will file a defamation case against Akhil Gogoi, Prafulla Mahanta and Chandra Mohan Patowary for maligining us. I will also institute an inquiry to probe the leak of the CAG report which I am yet to see. As I have said before, if anything is proved, I will quit,” Tarun Gogoi asserted.

The BJP’s organising secretary, northeastern states, P. Chandra Sekhar said: “We will send a memorandum to the President through Raj Bhavan seeking the dismissal of the Gogoi government. Our leaders will be raising the scams in Parliament and holding daily briefing on the NC Hills scam.”