Guwahati, 3rd April: Bhupen Borah, the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), has sparked controversy by announcing a reward of Rs 1 lakh for any journalist brave enough to ask challenging questions to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Borah made the announcement during a media address on April 3, criticizing the media for allegedly shying away from pressing issues.
Addressing the gathered press, Borah challenged the media’s silence on critical matters, stating, “You cannot ask the chief minister about the electoral bond scam, Coal, and supari syndicates. Do you have the guts to ask the Chief Minister about this? No, you can’t.” He further accused media outlets of neglecting their journalistic duty by allegedly taking cues from Chief Minister Sarma.
Borah outlined specific questions he urged journalists to pose to Chief Minister Sarma, emphasizing the failure to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six scheduled tribes within the promised 100 days, the non-implementation of Clause 5 and Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, and the status of the Chief Minister’s promise to address unemployment by providing Rs 5 lakh annually to 24 lakh unemployed youths.
In a bold move, Borah targeted journalists in Barpeta, announcing the reward specifically for those who could muster the courage to confront the Chief Minister with these pressing questions.
In a separate development, Bhupen Borah, during a public event in Pathshala, acknowledged the dire financial condition of the APCC and called for donations. He revealed that the party had received Rs 80 lakh in donations last month, highlighting the challenging situation faced by the APCC.
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