STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has raised fingers at the alleged controversial business nexus and dubious past of Bhuban Gam, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the upcoming Majuli bye-election.
Manjit Mahanta of the APCC, while addressing a press conference in the city on Tuesday, gave reference to an article in the The CrossCurrent which raised serious allegations against Bhuban Gam, who is the proprietor and director of two companies—Bhuban Construction Private Limited and Gam Delicacy Private Limited. Information regarding the two companies has been mentioned by Bhuban Gam in his election affidavit.
On August 18, 2015, the newly-constructed North East Tribal Museum and Cultural Centre at Sonapur's Nazirakhati got incinerated. The construction of the North East Tribal Museum and Cultural Centre was initiated in the year 2012 in Sonapur's Nazirakhat with a budget of Rs 50 crore in an area comprising of 227 bighas of land. The museum was constructed under the supervision of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam. According to news published in the newspaper, the construction of the museum and cultural centre was entrusted upon Bhuban Gam's Company. The then Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (metro), M. Angamuthu ordered a probe for the fire. Additional Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Prakash Baruah was in charge of the probe. But the investigative report on the Sonapur Tribal Museum's fire has not been made public till date, said the APCC.
According to data received from Minutes of Corporate Affairs, Gam made relatives of bureaucrats the directors of his companies. Manjit Mahanta alleged that by bestowing bureaucrats and their next of kin with the generous posts of directors, Bhuban Gam formed a nexus with bureaucrats for his vested business interests.
"Till this date, no proper investigation has been carried out regarding the circumstances under which the North East Tribal Museum and Cultural Centre constructed from government funding caught fire and was charred to ashes. In view of this dubious past and controversial nexus with bureaucrats and politicians, the people of Majuli can easily understand that such a candidate is detrimental for them," said Mahanta.
Also watch: