Bribery charges by BJP MP rattle Assam govt, irrigation minister under scanner

Speaking to a local news channel earlier this week, Tezpur MP Ram Prasad Sharma said several ministers in the 16-month-old government take bribes in return for awarding contracts. He specifically mentioned Ranjit Dutta as one of the offenders.

Updated on: Oct 6, 2017, 20:35:36 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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The BJP-led coalition government in Assam has come under intense scrutiny after a party MP accused several ministers in the state cabinet of corruption.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal during a public rally organised to celebrate the third anniversary of the NDA government at the Centre, in Guwahati on Friday. (PTI photo)

Speaking to a local news channel on Wednesday, Tezpur MP Ram Prasad Sharma said several ministers in the 16-month-old government take bribes in return for awarding contracts. A noted lawyer, Sharma specifically accused irrigation and handlooms minister Ranjit Dutta of taking 10% commission for each contract given away.

Dutta has denied the allegation, urging Sharma to back his charges with concrete proof. “I have already explained my stand on the issue to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state unit chief Ranjit Das. They will decide the future course of action,” he told Hindustan Times.

Sharma’s allegations have created a stir in the government, which came to power in May last year on the anti-corruption plank. “Such comments from a person like Sharma are unwarranted. If he had any proof of misdeeds, he should have aired them in the party forum instead of the media,” said Bijoya Chakraborty, another BJP MP from Assam.

The party’s Assam unit will convene an emergency meeting of state office bearers on Saturday to discuss the issue. Sonowal has asked Sharma to substantiate his claims, assuring that nobody would be spared if they are found to be true.

This is not the first time Dutta, a senior BJP leader representing Behali constituency in the state assembly, has come under the scanner. In March this year, the anti-corruption and vigilance wing of the Assam Police arrested Kujendra Doley, a secretary in Dutta’s irrigation department, for accepting a bribe in his office.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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