GUWAHATI, Nov 27 � The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has reiterated its demand that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi should resign �owing moral responsibility for the excess release of fund to the NC Hills Autonomous Council� between 2007-08 fiscal and June 12, 2009.
The regional party has also demanded that the Central Government should institute a special audit of the finance of the NC Hills Autonomous Council covering all the departments between 2001 and 2010. The CBI should also be engaged simultaneously to enquire into the matter for the said period, demanded the regional party.
The State Government had released an amount of around Rs 424 crore against of the official allocation of around Rs 151.4 crore, during the period and there were discrepancies between the allotted and the received amounts, said the regional party referring to the Comptroller and Auditor General�s (CAG�s) report of a special audit.
Party�s chief spokesman Atul Bora told this newspaper that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, being the head of the Government and also the Minister in charge of the Finance Department should have answered the points raised by Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in a convincing manner.
But today, he told media persons in New Delhi such things that exposes his lack of faith in the special audit carried out by the CAG. He has virtually challenged the CAG, one of the important institutions of Indian democracy, alleged Bora.
Moreover, the statements of the Chief Minister on the issue of the multi-crore rupees scam in NC Hills Autonomous Council are incongruous. He is hence liable to be charged with breach of privilege, said the AGP chief spokesman.
To remain true to his oath of office, Gogoi should have stepped down as soon as the CAG submitted the report of its special audit of the NC Hills Council�s accounts, owing moral responsibility, Bora said.
The AGP chief spokesman also made it clear that the onus of proving his innocence lies with Gogoi himself. He should not try to dilute the issue by resorting to any trick, said Bora.
