Skip to content Skip to navigation

The Week is not too weak

By Daya Nath Singh |

Despite reluctance of Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi to go for inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Rupees one thousand crore scam of North Cachar Hills development fund, as demanded by the Opposition parties of the state, he had to bow down and decided to go for the same after getting advice from the Union Home Ministry. According to the news item published by The Week, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), had earlier suggested that since there were the evidences of nexus between the militants, politicians and government officials, the government should go for the probe by the CBI, but the chief minister did not agree to the suggestion. He repeatedly denied involvement of his ministers and tried to divert attention of the people asking probe into the earlier cases of decade ago during Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) regime. But he failed to convince the Union home ministry saying that his ministers’ name did not appear or mentioned in the NIA report submitted to the government.


On the state government’s decision to go for CBI inquiry into the financial irregularities, the Assam health minister and spokesperson Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the government was ready for a CBI inquiry, as it had nothing to hide and wanted the truth to prevail, but the chief minister wanted that the CBI probe to be preceded by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, which would have the CBI inquiry as well. On the alleged involvement of seven ministers, including himself in the scam, he said that the NIA had clarified on The Week’s news story, ruling out involvement of any minister. He further added that the NIA has rebutted The Week report saying that the ‘ministers were not even investigated by it (NIA) and hence there was no question of naming any’.


The Week story on the issue has at one place mentioned that after finding the involvement of ministers in the scam, the NIA sought permission from the state government to examine such persons, which was denied. Under such circumstances the NIA could not proceed ahead and suggested the government to go for a CBI inquiry. Under such circumstances it was out of question for the NIA to name any person without questioning. Hence the report could not mention any name. It is just like a theft case in which a thief is not apprehended with booty, it does not mean that there was neither a theft nor a thief. The Week’s story does not seem to be so weak if thoroughly gone through it. There is something to put more embarrassment to the state government and the politicians.

Add new comment

Random Stories

DHDAC chief Debojit Thaosen quits

17 Oct 2015 - 7:12am | Swambudhan Phonglo
Finally, Chief executive member of the Dima Hasao District Autonomous Council Debojit Thaosen has put in his papers minutes before he faced floor test in Haflong on Saturday.Thaosen resigned a week...

ULFA(I) diktat defied; tricolor fluttering

15 Aug 2016 - 3:46pm | AT News
Defying ULFA diktat, national flag kept fluttering in the sky of Assam as the state along with other parts of the country celebrated the 70th Independence Day on Monday. Chief Minister Sarbananda...

Imphal witnesses waterlogging after continuous rainfall

30 Oct 2017 - 8:46pm | AT News Imphal
Most parts of Imphal and its surrounding areas witnessed water logging due to continuous rainfall in the past 24 hours.  The state witnessed incessant rainfall throughout Monday ...
Protest in Nagaon onThursday. Photo by UB Photos.

Former rebels threaten to resume armed conflict

25 Aug 2017 - 5:39pm | Dibya J Borthakur
 A huge crowd in Nagaon on Friday warned of a fierce armed struggle to counter the attack on the indigenous people by s section of the outsiders. Speakers after speakers in the...

Other Contents by Author

CM's mockery of foundation laying ceremony

It was really a mockery of foundation stone laying ceremony by the Chief Minister of Assam one day ahead of announcement of Lok Sabha polls in the country by the Election Commission of India on 5th March 2014. As soon as on March 4, the news spread that the election dates would be announced on 5th March, Mr. S. Vishwanathan, Commissioner, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Mayor, Abir Patra of GMC along with other GMC officials approached the office bearers of the Ulubari Bazar Committee with information that the foundation stone laying ceremony would be done by the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the following day i.e. on 5th March at 11 a.m. They ordered dismantling of about two dozens of...

Conservation of rivers

The Society for Socio-Economic-Development in the Region (SSEDR), a city based NGO, has raised a question mark on the initiative taken by the Assam Government with Pollution Control Board (PCB), Assam for conservation of Bharalu and Kalang rivers. It said that the State holder consultation workshop held on December 18, 2013, was mainly attended by the officers of various level of State and Central governments and representatives of Louis Berger Group (LBG) and DHI (India). The draft minutes of meeting has shown very unsatisfactory presence of non-biased technical expert and public representatives. This has raised a question regarding the sincerity and transparency of the whole process.The...

Arya Samaj Golden jubilee from Feb 14

Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati established first ever Arya Samaj Mandir in Mumbai in the year 1875. Arya Samaj Guwahati chapter is one among such institutions spread all over India in 1932-35, when two Vedic scholars, Late Parmeswar Kakati and Late Robindra Nobis, first attempted to promote Vedic philosophy among the people of Northeast region. Finally, in 1964-65, the Guwahati Arya Samaj was established at Dr B Baruah Road, with active participation of various persons of the society like Late Sushil Das, Late RR Taneja, Late NR Taneja, Late Dr Narain Das, Late Om Prakash Anand, Shri B L Saboo, HR Arya, SC Arya and others took great efforts to build and help in growth of this institution....

Assam paper mills under threat of closure

With an idea to get rapid development of the Northeastern region, the Union government constituted a separate directorate, namely, the Directorate of North Eastern Region (DoNER), which has now turned to ‘do nothing in entire region’. This can be judged by the activities going on in the two major paper mills in the state of Assam, which are facing a threat of closure at any time. These paper mills, the units of Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd, the Nagaon Paper Mills, Jagiroad in Morigaon district and the Cachar Paper Mill, in Panchgram of Barak valley, are suffering from acute shortage of raw materials for several years. The production in both mills have been badly affected and workers have...

NE leadership responsible for backwardness

Industrial development in India has ever been dependent on the political will of leadership since independence. It was because of the fact that no ‘fair policy’ could be framed by the Union Government for ‘equal development’ of all the regions of the country simultaneously. That is why some of the areas remained completely neglected and others developed beyond limit. Besides the metropolis and a few industrial cities, where opportunities were ample for industrial growth, there have been vast disparity in the growth of industries. The industrialization of a particular area depends fully on the degree of political influence in its favor.A few industries in the country have been setup on the...

A case for emergency in democracy

Emergency imposed by former prime minister,  Indira Gandhi in the year 1975, was no doubt a bad thing for democracy, but in no way it was harmful to make the nation disciplined. That is the reason even some of her staunch critics had appreciated the steps taken by her at that crucial juncture.Democracy is for the disciplined people and unless the people are disciplined, the democracy has no meaning. A wrong notion is prevailing in our country about democracy now-a-days. The simple interpretation of democracy i.e. equal rights in society, is taken as freedom of speech, freedom of work, freedom to abuse or commit nuisance, freedom to live as per one’s life-style. It is because of this...

Hoax calls disturb Assam health services

The Govt of Assam along with GVK EMRI launched 102 National Ambulance Service (NAS) on September1,2013 by Union health  and family welfare minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad in presence of Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi and state health and family welfare minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma and distinguished guests from state government; NRHM and GVK EMRI, Assam. It has now completed 120 days of operation, according to a press release issued by the organization. 102 NAS is the first of its kind in the country to serve Inter Facility Transfer (IFT). The service is for referred patient from a lower hospital to higher hospital. NAS in its 120 days journey has got a fleet strength of 279 vehicles out...

Snehalaya, a child friendly society moves a step ahead

Snehalaya, a social service programme of Don Bosco Society for the care, protection and ultimate social reintegration of children in distress completed thirteen years of its existence. To mark the completion of thirteen years of relentless Services to children in need of special care and protection ‘Snehalaya Day’ was observed on January 4, 2014, at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School auditorium in Guwahati, where a number of dignitary participated in the function. Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi inaugurated the function.Snehalaya became operational on January 1, 2001. it was a millennium gift for the homeless and destitute children. On that day Fr Lukose Cheruvalel, the founder director of...

Print helps job generation

It was a turning point in my life at the end of year 1981, when I decided to go for a change after a successful 20 years of marketing experience. The reason behind the idea was the fatigue of the long travelling experiences, the growing age and stable family life.A small piece of advertisement in the English daily 'The Assam Tribune' on November 14, 1981, requiring sub editors for an upcoming English daily news paper attracted my attention and I did not make a second thought and applied for the same. Within a month the entire formalities were completed and out of 42 candidates, who appeared for the written test and interviews, six were selected for the job including myself.On 16th December...

Religion-based partition of India a mistake

India’s partition in the year 1947 on the basis of religion was a great mistake. It was a part of conspiracy planted by the British rulers, who succeeded in managing Muslim League leader, Mohammad Ali Jinnah to be rigid on his stand for a homeland and independent nation for the followers of Islam dividing India between the Muslim majority and other communities dominated areas. Despite all efforts made by Mahatma Gandhi to keep the country united, the result was not conducive due to sticky stand of both the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Muslim League (ML) leaders, which led to the danger of chaotic situation in the country. The situation could have resulted in long stay of the...