No will to protect rhino during Congress regime: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Speaking in the Assam Assembly, CM Sarma claimed that only 25 anti-corruption cases were registered in the state between 2011 and 2014.

"In 2011 only 8 cases were registered. In 2012 only 12 cases and 5 cases in 2013 were registered while not a single case was registered in 2014. Was there no corruption in Assam before 2014? The corruption news was published in every newspaper in Assam at that time, but then the government didn't take cognizance," CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He further stated that under his government, 1.5 lakh recruitments have been made, and no youth has accused the administration of corruption.

"We have discussed the Justice (Retd) Biplab Sharma Committee report in the house, but the MP of Jorhat (Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi) is yet to clarify whether he had taken the ornaments in his wedding or not. The judicial committee had reacted on this biggest corruption, but he doesn't react till today," CM Sarma said.

He said that in 2021, he became the Chief Minister and this government has arrested 24 gazetted officers on corruption charges. "We have arrested 80 Class 2 gazetted officers and 349 Class 3 and Class 4 officers. Till today we have recovered 224.740 grams of gold from their possession. We have recovered Rs 12 crore from the arrested officers by trapping. By trusting this government the people have informed the police that tomorrow he will give money to that officer and police will be present there and arrest the guilty. Earlier, why the people didn't trust the government? Now the people have trusted this government and they are gradually learning to raise their voices against corruption. For the first time we have seized properties and charsheeted. Till now the court has convicted 31 officers. We have arrested the corrupted officers and given chargesheet against them before the court," the Assam Chief Minister said.

On the other hand, talking about the current government's fight against drugs, the Assam Chief Minister said that, in the last four years from 2011, the current government has recovered, seized drugs worth Rs 2600 crore while drugs worth Rs 400 crore were recovered during the previous Congress government in Assam.

"From 2011 to 2015, drugs worth Rs 400 crore were seized in Assam. Under my regime in the last four years from 2021, 19000 people have been arrested in drug-related cases. We have confiscated drugs worth Rs 2600 crore in last four years against the drugs worth Rs 400 crore during the Congress government," the Assam Chief Minister said.

Highlighting the state's progress in rhino conservation, CM Sarma said Assam has been globally appreciated for its efforts.

"If we allowed to kill 25 rhinoceros in a single year like the previous Congress government then we could collect Rs 10 crore against each rhino horn. 3 rhinos were killed in Assam in 2021, 2 in 2022, zero poaching in 2023 and 2 rhinos killed in 2024. While 20 rhinos were in 2012, 24 in 2013, 25 in 2014. There was the same police and forest, but the government failed to stop rhino killing earlier, was there any political desire to protect rhinos or not," the Assam Chief Minister said.

"At that time, there was a strong government in Assam as both Congress governments at the centre as well as in the state. I was also in the Congress and if you used me as a force. I was given the charge of the education department and I didn't allow corruption in TET teacher recruitment, in Health department I brought a change. If I were used in forest, I would bring zero rhino poaching. Why you (Congress) not used me to stop rhino killing, because a syndicate of your's was running. Was the entire election fund coming from here?" the Chief Minister said.

He also said that, till 2016 not a single truck loaded with supari (arecanut).

"700 people have been arrested since 2021 and we have seized 6000 tons supari and registered 724 cases," the Chief Minister said. (ANI)