Correspondents
Tezpur: With the rest of the State, in Tezpur also under the aegis of the Indian National Congress, the Sonitpur district committee staged a massive protest on Monday against the recruitment scam in the state police and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for his alleged failure to meet his promise of a 'corruption-free Assam'.
The protest was led by president of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Ripun Borah. The protesters marched from Rajib Bhavan in Tezpur to the office of the Superintendent of Police, Sonitpur. Hundreds of protesters gheraoed the office of the Superintendent of Police, Sonitpur.
Ripun Bora alleged that the leak of question paper before the written examination for the recruitment of 597 sub-inspectors in the State Police on September 20 proved Sonowal's failure as Chief Minister. Borah also said that this exam was not only a recruitment drive but a ray of hope for thousands of unemployed rural youths of Assam who were badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"When the police were involved, how can they investigate? We demand a judicial inquiry by a sitting high court judge and the Chief Minister's resignation. We don't have faith in the CBI, which is a puppet in the hands of the BJP," alleged Bora.
The protesters expressed their mistrust over the ongoing investigation as a 'gimmick' to show the people while in reality they were in connivance with the prime accused and trying to safeguard them.
Later, several youths along with APCC president Ripun Borah, spokesperson Apurba Bhattacharyya and other senior leaders were arrested by police in the presence of Assistant Commissioner, Sonitpur after they attempted to break the barricades. They were later released on personal bonds.
Haflong: Demanding CBI inquiry into the Assam Police SI recruitment exam case and resignation of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Dima Hasao District Congress Committee gheraoed the SP office at Haflong on Monday. Shouting slogans, the members of DCC took out a procession from Rajiv Bhavan and marched through Haflong to reach the office of the Superintendent of Police, Dima Hasao but were stopped by closing the main gate. In front of the gate, all the protesters shouted slogans demanding CBI inquiry and they again converged at Rajiv Bhavan. Member of autonomous council, Daniel Langthasa and other leaders took part in the protest.
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