Guwahati, 3rd April: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently took to social media platform X on April 3, presenting his viewpoint on the upcoming elections and highlighting what he sees as reasons for voters to steer clear of the Congress party. In a concise post captioned “Good Morning!”, Sarma listed ten alleged scams associated with the Congress, aiming to dissuade voters from supporting the opposition party.
The list provided by Sarma includes a range of high-profile scandals that have plagued the nation in recent years. From the infamous Coal Scam to the controversial AgustaWestland deal, Sarma’s social media post sought to remind voters of the alleged corruption scandals that have surrounded the Congress party. Among the highlighted scandals were the Commonwealth Games Scam, Telecom Scam, Antrix-Devas Scam, Hawk Aircraft Scam, INX Media Scam, Aircel-Maxis Scam, Embraer Scam, and the Land for Job Scam.
Sarma’s attempt to draw attention to these issues comes amid a charged political atmosphere in Assam, with the state gearing up for crucial elections.
Here’s a brief overview of the alleged scams highlighted by Sarma:
1. Coal Scam: Also known as “Coalgate,” this scam involved irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks to private companies, resulting in significant losses to the Indian exchequer.
2. Agusta Scam: The AgustaWestland scam pertains to alleged corruption in the procurement of helicopters for the Indian Air Force, involving kickbacks and bribes.
3. Commonwealth Games Scam: Corruption and financial irregularities surrounding the organization and execution of the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in Delhi.
4. Telecom Scam: Manipulation of the allocation of 2G spectrum licenses in India, resulting in significant losses to the government due to undervaluation and favoritism.
5. Antrix-Devas Scam: Allegations of favoritism and irregularities in the cancellation of a satellite deal between Antrix Corporation and Devas Multimedia.
6. Hawk Aircraft Scam: Alleged irregularities in the purchase of Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force, involving accusations of corruption and kickbacks.
7. INX Scam: Allegations of irregularities and money laundering against former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram regarding foreign investment approvals granted to INX Media.
8. Aircel-Maxis Scam: Allegations of irregularities in the approval of foreign investment in Aircel by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board during the tenure of former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.
9. Embraer Scam: Corruption allegations in a deal between Embraer and the Indian government for the purchase of military aircraft, including accusations of kickbacks and bribery.
10. Land for Job Scam: Allegations of irregularities in the allocation of land in exchange for jobs in various states of India, involving corruption and misuse of authority by government officials and politicians.Read More: Assam Urges Centre to Reconsider Mandate on Tea Auctions Amid Livelihood Concerns