STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The State Government will bring a bill in the Assembly to ban the forcible collection of donations and act tough against the menace. The State government does not have any mechanism to deal with the forcible collection of money.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been against the forcible collection of donations right from assuming his office. The Chief Minister said, "The government will not be a mute spectator when organizations collect donations from businessmen forcibly. The government is now firm to bring a bill in the Assembly to this effect. We will treat the forcible collection of money as an organized crime. We will keep a provision in the bill to make organizations cough up forcibly collected donations.
"We want to create an ambience in the state where investors won't have to face the menace of donations anymore. Assam has earned the dubious distinction among the investors for forcible donations."
A section of organizations, including students' bodies, collecting donations from traders and businessmen has been an age-old practice in the state. Many traders yield to the demands of the organizations.
A senior police official said, "The browbeaten donors should lodge complaints with the police. They, however, keep mum. We take action when we get complaints. We appeal to the businessmen to come forward to lodge complaints with the police when they face such situations."
An official source said, "We are trying to introduce the bill in this Budget session. If we cannot, we will introduce it in the next session."
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