Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a fresh attack on the Opposition Congress on Monday, accusing the party of institutionalising corruption by using weddings as a means to accept illicit gifts.
Speaking on the floor of the Assembly, Sarma specifically targeted Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, questioning his silence on the findings of the Biplab Kumar Sarma Committee regarding the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) scam.
He pointed out that the committee’s report implicated Gaurav Gogoi in receiving gold ornaments worth Rs 3 lakh as a wedding gift from former APSC chairman Rakesh Paul, a key accused in the recruitment scam.
The chief minister further revealed that the state government has sought clarification from the Income Tax Department on whether these gifts were declared by the Congress MP. “The most important question is — it’s been more than 20 days since the committee’s report was released, yet Gaurav Gogoi has not said a single word on social media about whether the findings are right or wrong,” Sarma remarked.
He further stated, “If someone can make Rakesh Paul the APSC chairman for ten years and accept gold ornaments as wedding gifts, then it is a prima facie case of corruption—unless denied. And MP Gaurav Gogoi has not denied it.”
Extending his criticism, CM Sarma lashed out at both Congress and Raijor Dal chief, Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi, who had defended the practice of wedding gifts, arguing that such offerings could not be quantified as corruption.
In a scathing remark, the chief minister said, “This means that if you want to do corruption, just organize a wedding in your family.”
“Congress has a well-defined rulebook for corruption, and now they have taught our officers a new trick—don’t make money anywhere else, do it at weddings. The Congress has been coaching people on how to commit corruption, and now they are giving these tricks to the public as well,” he added.
The APSC scam that surfaced in 2016, exposed large-scale irregularities in the recruitment of state civil service officers.
Rakesh Paul, who headed the commission for a decade, was arrested for allegedly taking bribes in exchange for government job appointments. Several candidates and bureaucrats were implicated in the scandal, leading to mass dismissals and legal proceedings.
With the 2026 Assam Assembly elections approaching, the accusations have escalated the political discourse, making corruption a key battleground issue.