BJP assails Ra Goswami for allegedly distributing funds meant for panchayats

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, March 5: Members of the BJP led by former minister and present leader Hiten Goswami on Saturday in Jorhat accused the present Jorhat legislator Ra Goswami of the Congress party of distributing funds worth crores of rupees among the voters of the constituency which were otherwise sanctioned by the Central Government meant specifically for the panchayat and municipal boards for development works under the 14th fince commission.

Addressing media persons during a press meet held at the Jorhat Press Club, BJP leader Hiten Goswami said, “The present MLA is habituated to talk ill about the NDA government, Prime Minister rendra Modi and State BJP president Sarbanda Sonowal and because of which a general perception is being built that the NDA government is curtailing funds to Assam. But the truth is that Ra Goswami had forcibly extracted several crores of rupees by making the panchayat president and secretaries sign cheques against non-existent schemes. The funds thus released are being distributed to attract voters towards the Congress party in a meeting held near the legislator’s residence at Rajabari and in presence of the BDOs. But this amount was sanctioned by the NDA government through the 14th fince commission report which was formally approved in the floor of the Parliament last year.”

“The entire Assam state received Rs 292 crore of which the Jorhat district alone got Rs 13 crore which is from the 50 per cent basic grant to panchayats and municipal board. As a rule the remaining 40 per cent performance grant will be released by the Centre upon receiving satisfactory results and the remaining 10 per cent which is basically provided to those institutions capable of generating revenue. Now out of the Rs 13 crore, the Bagchung Block received Rs 3,63,68,800, of which Rs 2 crore was siphoned off which was meant for the nine panchayats under the Bagchung block. Similarly the Dhekorgorha Block got a grant of Rs 2,28,66,360 of which Rs 1.20 crore meant for eight panchayats was forcibly withdrawn by MLA Ra Goswami to fulfil his last minute electoral poll promises made to the people five years back,” alleged Hiten Goswami.

Three panchayat presidents and secretaries of the 36 oboisa Panchayat, 49 Number Madhya Saraibahi panchayat and 33 no North East Charigaon panchayat spoke at length about the MLA. Notably the members added, “We had various development schemes to be undertaken in our respective panchayats but our schemes never took wings due to the political interference of MLA Ra Goswami who told us to quash our regular schemes and instead ordered us to sign cheques against schemes which were never implemented. Till date we have not received a single penny. Now we have learnt that Rs 18.72 lakh was in reserve for the 36 no oboisa Panchayat and another Rs 21 lakh for the 49 no Madhya Saraibahi panchayat and Rs 15 lakh for the 33 no North East Charigaon panchayat.”

Also present in today’s meeting were BJP Media cell coorditor Iswaar Prassa Bordoi, BJP district president Kamakhya Mohon Das and a host of others who targeted the Congress MLA for keeping no stone unturned to malign the BJP party and instead using funds sanctioned by the BJP government through the fince commission to woo the voters.