Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Assam Vice-President Jitul Deka on Wednesday targetted the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Assam saying that the party is running a job market at its state headquarters in Guwahati.
Addressing a press conference at the AAP Assam office in Guwahati, Jitul Deka questioned the ruling BJP government in Assam over the recent death of the party's Kisan Morcha Secretary Indrani Tahbildar.
In a subsequent media release, AAP Assam said that under CM Sarma, BJP government, which portrays itself as against corruption, is running a cash-for-jobs scheme at its own party headquarters, and only now their ill deeds are surfacing one after the other.
Jitul Deka said that job hawkers are rampant in the BJP even as the party proclaims to not take even a tamul (beetel nut) in exchange for creating and providing jobs in the state.
This job market only came to light after the death of BJP leader Indrani Tahbildar, said AAP Assam, adding that the Chandmari Police's investigation into the matter is revealing a new job broker in the BJP every day.
Questions are arising in the minds of Assamese citizens following the arrests of Anurag Chaliha, a job broker in the BJP Assam unit and Aseem Chakraborty, a senior RSS leader in the state and the recovery of admit cards, a lists containing names of candidates. These clearly point to a cash-for-jobs scam being run in the party.
Moreover, AAP Assam questioned the timing of the Chief Minister's address in the matter saying that right after the recovery of these documents following the arrests of the two, CM Sarma came out and called the entire incident unfortunate dismissing accusations of exchange of money saying that not everyone who paid money got jobs.
Based on this statement of the Chief Minister, AAP Assam questioned that how the CM came to know about it even as the investigation into the case is still going on. "Is the Chief Minsiter trying to give a clean chit to everyone involved in the case beforehand?" asked AAP Assam.
They further questioned whether the CM feels threatened that the truth will eventually come out. The timing of his comments with the recovery of incriminating evidence including payment receipts from the houses of the two accused in Indrani Tahbildar's death, raises suspicions.
Moreover, the transfer of the DCP (Central) of the police who oversaw the investigation while it was going on has added to the suspicions, said AAP Assam.
"From where did Anurag Chaliha and Aseem Chakraborty get the courage to demand money in exchange for jobs in the name of BJP? How did they get the courage even as the chief minister himself comes down heavily on corrupt officials? It is certain that there is some top and powerful BJP leader behind these men," said AAP Assam.
In light of all these speculations, AAP Assam demanded that the investigation be carried out by an impartial judicial committee. They demanded that the CM, who orders operations in the darkness of the night against land mafias, should introspect and take action against these job brokers in his own party.
Since there is an evident increase in brokers inside the party, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption should open a wing inside the BJP office to investigate these matters, suggested AAP Assam.
Meanwhile, AAP Assam's state spokesperson, Anurupa Dekarjai said during the press conference that the current BJP party is not safe for women. She questioned the disappearance of BJP Mahila Morcha leader Angoorlata Deka during the whole incident of Indrani Tahbildar's death.
She said that one after the other, the women members of the party are getting murdered or committing suicide, still Angoorlata Deka did not speak a word.
She further lamented the inaction on the part of the Assam State Commission for Women in the matter.
AAP Assam also called for BJP to ensure the safety and security of the women party members.
