Assam CM Defends APSC Recruitment Probe, Targets Congress in Assembly

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made a strong statement in the Assembly regarding the Biplab Sharma Commission’s report on APSC recruitment irregularities, highlighting the BJP government's commitment to transparency.

Sarma asserted that the BJP government has exposed all corruption cases linked to the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), emphasizing that recruitment scams will no longer occur. He pointed out that Rakesh Paul, the former APSC chairman, was removed under BJP’s tenure, while Congress had facilitated his rise in the organization.

The CM accused former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of playing a pivotal role in appointing Rakesh Paul as an APSC member in 2008 and later promoting him to Chairman in 2013. "Paul’s appointment was a major scam," Sarma stated, revealing that he was appointed on December 5, 2013, for a 10-year tenure. The CM alleged that various departments aided Paul between 2008 and 2014, enabling large-scale irregularities in the recruitment process.

Opposition Leader Debabrata Saikia raised the issue of a missing "paperclip" that allegedly contained crucial evidence against Paul. Sarma responded that no such evidence was found at the time, arguing that had it surfaced earlier, Paul’s appointment would not have been possible.

He further criticized Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi for not refuting the allegations regarding a ₹3 lakh wedding gift from Rakesh Paul, stating that the Income Tax Department had been informed about the matter. The Chief Minister demanded that the Assam Congress publicly apologize for Rakesh Paul’s appointment, particularly to the unemployed youth affected by recruitment scams.

Additionally, Sarma questioned the lack of media coverage on Gaurav Gogoi’s involvement compared to the scrutiny faced by Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi. "There has been extensive reporting on Akhil Gogoi, but not on Gaurav Gogoi, because Akhil comes from a humble background," he remarked.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed that 39 officials linked to APSC corruption have been dismissed, marking an unprecedented action in Assam’s history. However, he cautioned that any wrongful dismissal could harm innocent individuals.

With 20 days having passed since the submission of the Biplab Sharma Commission’s report, Sarma reiterated that the government remains committed to acting against recruitment irregularities.

Also Read: MP Gaurav Gogoi Yet to Deny ₹3 Lakh Wedding Gift Claim: Assam CM at Assembly