Guwahati, February 19, 2025 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that a recent report by the Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma Judicial Commission on the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) ‘cash-for-jobs’ scam has exposed significant corruption during the tenure of the Congress government led by former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The report, presented in the Assam Legislative Assembly on February 18, has reignited debates about governance and accountability in the state during the early 2010s.
According to the BJP, the commission’s findings reveal a systematic pattern of irregularities and malpractices in the recruitment process under the APSC during Gogoi’s administration, particularly around the Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE) of 2013 and 2014. The party claims that the report implicates several officials and highlights how government jobs were allegedly sold for cash, undermining the merit-based system and public trust.
The report, which spans hundreds of pages, is said to detail instances where candidates paid bribes to secure positions, with some senior officials and politicians allegedly complicit in the racket. The BJP has seized on these revelations to criticize the Congress, asserting that the scam is a glaring example of the corruption that plagued Assam under Gogoi’s 15-year rule from 2001 to 2016. Party leaders have pointed to the report as evidence of the Congress’s failure to uphold transparency and fairness in public administration.
Posts on X from news outlets and political commentators on February 18 echoed the BJP’s stance, with some describing the findings as a “shocking expose” of the Congress era. However, the veracity of these claims and the full extent of the report’s conclusions remain under scrutiny, as opposition parties and independent observers have yet to provide detailed responses.
The Congress, which has been out of power in Assam since 2016, has not yet issued an official statement on the report. Critics of the BJP, however, argue that the timing of the report’s release—close to upcoming elections—suggests a political motive to tarnish the opposition’s image. They also contend that while corruption may have occurred, the current government should be held accountable for not fully addressing the issue or ensuring justice for those affected.
The APSC scam first came to light in 2016 when a whistleblower, Angshumita Gogoi, reported irregularities, leading to investigations and arrests. The Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma Commission was later formed to conduct a thorough inquiry, and its latest report is seen as a culmination of years of legal and administrative scrutiny. The commission’s earlier findings had already recommended canceling the 2013 CCE batch due to widespread anomalies, a move that stirred controversy at the time.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who served as a minister under Gogoi before switching to the BJP, has remained relatively silent on the report so far, focusing instead on state development issues. However, his government has emphasized its commitment to rooting out corruption and restoring integrity to public institutions, contrasting its record with that of the previous regime.
The report’s release has also sparked discussions on social media, with some users praising the BJP for bringing transparency to light, while others accuse the party of selective targeting. Public sentiment, as reflected in posts on X, appears divided, with many calling for accountability regardless of political affiliations.
As of this morning, February 19, 2025, the Assam government has not announced specific actions based on the report, but political analysts expect potential legal proceedings against those named and further reforms in the recruitment process. The controversy is likely to intensify as both the BJP and Congress prepare for future electoral battles, with the APSC scam becoming a focal point in the state’s political narrative.
This development adds another layer to the ongoing debate about Tarun Gogoi’s legacy, which includes both praise for stabilizing Assam and criticism for alleged mismanagement and corruption. While Gogoi, who passed away in 2020, is still revered by many for his efforts to curb insurgency and promote development, reports like this one continue to cast a shadow over his administration’s record.
