Rakibul Hussian counters Himanta Biswa Sarma's job scam claims, welcomes probe

MP Rakibul Hussain responded to allegations made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding a 'job scam' purportedly occurring during the Congress era. 

Addressing the media, Hussain expressed his willingness to cooperate with any investigation initiated by the Chief Minister. 

He stated, "I want CM Sarma to register a case and probe it... till date I have not done anything illegally. We have followed all rules and regulations and have also gone to the Supreme Court to fight back the jobs which were in question during our regime."

Hussain further mentioned that he welcomes Chief Minister Sarma's initiative to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. 

He reiterated his confidence in the legality of actions taken during his tenure and emphasized the adherence to due process. 

Also Read: Traffic guidelines issued for Chhath Puja celebrations in Guwahati

The comments come amidst a backdrop of political tension, with both parties engaging in a war of words amidts the by-polls.

Earlier on November 6, Himanta Biswa Sarma ordered a police investigation into MP Rakibul Hussain's alleged unauthorised distribution of government jobs during the Congress regime.

"This is a serious matter - ministers have no authority whatsoever to offer jobs, yet Rakibul Hussain openly admitted to distributing appointment letters," Sarma said during a press briefing on Wednesday, November 6.

Sarma alleged that suspicions about backdoor appointments during Hussain's tenure as Home Minister had persisted for years. "People in Assam have been suspecting for a long time that Rakibul Hussain, when he was the Home Minister, has been giving out appointment letters through the backdoor," he stated.

The Chief Minister drew parallels to the case of former Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) chairman Rakesh Pal, who was previously jailed for involvement in illegal recruitment practices. "We knew that Rakesh Pal was involved in giving jobs and even went to jail for it, but we did not know about Rakibul Hussain's involvement until he admitted it himself," Sarma noted.