GUWAHATI, April 13 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has issued a strict warning to all the Ministers asking them not to offer cash or bribe to any journalist as �Bihu or other gifts�.
Sonowal took strong exception to one senior Cabinet Minister�s action of offering cash to journalists yesterday as �Bihu gift� and said that he has issued strict warning to all his Ministerial colleagues not to indulge in such activities.
The Chief Minister called up this newspaper this morning to enquire about the incident, which was reported by The Assam Tribune in its today�s paper and immediately called up the Minister concerned.
Sonowal also admitted that any such action by a Minister or a senior officer would bring bad name to the Government, which is trying its best to eradicate corruption from all levels of administration and also launched a concerted drive in this regard. He said that several officers have already been put behind the bars for their involvement in corruption and asserted that the Government�s fight against corruption would continue.
It may be mentioned here that a few journalists were called to the residence of a senior Cabinet Minister for a media briefing yesterday and to the surprise of some of the journalists, one officers offered cash to the journalists claiming that it was �Bihu gift� from the Minister.
