Pankaj Borthakur, TNN; Mar 17, 2011,
GUWAHATI: For the first time in the history of politics in Assam, "corrupt politicians" will face an unprecedented campaign against them ahead of this assembly election. RTI activist and peasant leader Akhil Gogoi is set to spearhead a vigorous crusade to sensitize the electorate to cast their ballots in favour of those who have a clean image and a strong will to fight corruption.
"Many corrupt politicians are in the fray and they will try to influence people with their black money. We request the people not to be fooled by them for the sake of democracy," the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) leader and RTI national award winner has said. Akhil alleged that some ministers in the state had earned black money during the Congress's tenure and the amounts could be used to lure voters.
"We will start our campaign from March 20 in every district of the state," KMSS publicity secretary Kamal Kumar Medhi said on Thursday.
Corruption during the second term of the Congress rule became all the more apparent after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested government officer R H Khan and filed chargesheets against many government officials of North Cachar Hill district in 2009. The agency had pointed out nexus between militants and government officials and found that funds meant for the development of the district were siphoned off to the militants.
The multi-crore scam had rocked the party and chief minister Tarun Gogoi was compelled to hand over the investigation to CBI following NIA's request. Besides, Akhil had raised a number of alleged anomalies in the state's public distribution system.
Medhi, however, made it clear that the campaign by KMSS would not be directed against the ruling party only. He said, "We will request people not to vote for any corrupt politician. It doesn't matter which party he or she belongs to."
While Congress was in the line of people's ire in connection with the North Cachar Hills funds scam, AGP was allegedly involved in the multi-crore LOC scandal during its second term between 1996 and 2001. However, the AGP's primary poll plank is the "corruption" by the ruling party.
While Akhil is fighting corruption without aiming for any political gain, the BJP and the Left parties have decided to included the issue in their respective manifestos. "During this election, our main ammo is corruption. We will fight corruption at all levels," senior CPI leader Promod Gogoi said. The BJP leadership also said they would campaign against "largescale" corruption by the ruling party.
Although the opposition parties are planning to pick up corruption as their main poll ammo, political analysts feel they cannot reap much benefits. "Common people have been affected by misuse of public money over the years," said Chandan Sharma, a sociology professor attached to Tezpur University.
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