Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has alleged that Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi received a “wedding gift” from Rakesh Kumar Paul, the prime accused in the state civil services cash-for-job scam.
During a discussion in the Assam Assembly on Monday, Sarma referred to the findings of the Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma-led inquiry commission, which investigated irregularities in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE) conducted in 2013 and 2014 under Congress rule.
“The report stated that Rakesh Kumar Paul had gifted jewellery to the son of former CM Tarun Gogoi during his wedding. Prima facie, it is a case of corruption unless denied,” Sarma said. He added that “Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has not denied yet. So, we can consider it a case of corruption.”
Taking to X, Sarma accused Congress of introducing a “new template for corruption,” stating, “They conceal proceeds of crime as a ‘marriage gift.’ This is exactly what played out in the wedding of an Hon’ble MP from the Congress party.”
The commission report also revealed that former CM Tarun Gogoi had endorsed Rakesh Paul’s appointment as an APSC member, after which he was later made chairman. Sarma criticized Congress, claiming that corruption was deeply embedded in their governance practices.
“For the first time in India’s contemporary history, the chairman of a public service commission and all its members were arrested. We took exemplary action and cleansed the system. Today, all APSC recruitments are conducted transparently,” he asserted.
The CM further claimed that under BJP rule, meritorious students are getting government jobs, unlike during Congress rule, when jobs were allegedly given to ministers’ relatives.
“From APSC to Grade IV, we have ensured transparency in government recruitment. The biggest achievement is that students now trust that the job selection process is corruption-free,” Sarma emphasized.