GUWAHATI, Feb 10: Assam minister Pijush Hazarika on Saturday claimed that former chief minister Tarun Gogoi would take ‘joy rides’ in helicopter with state money to visit his astrologer.
Hazarika, who holds several departments including Parliamentary Affairs and Information and Public Relations, is a former Congress MLA who had joined the BJP following the exit of Sarma from the grand old party.
“I distinctly remember how Late Sjt Tarun Gogoi Dangoriya would take 50 km helicopter joy rides, several times from Guwahati to Jagiroad, Nalbari, just to visit his astrologer. The Congress party never paid these bills,” Hazarika posted on X.
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Referring to Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi’s notice for adjournment motion on CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s helicopter usage, the minister added, “It is my request that Sri @GauravGogoiAsm dangoriya raise this matter next time he speaks on the helicopter usage of Assam chief ministers”.
Gogoi represents Kaliabor constituency in the Lok Sabha and is the son of the former chief minister, late Tarun Gogoi.
The MP had given a notice for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on Friday, to discuss “reports of the Assam government spending Rs 58,23,07,104 on air travel for chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other VIPs, including for non-governmental purposes”.
Gogoi maintained that it is a “significant amount of public money, which could have been used for crucial development projects or social welfare initiatives in Assam”.
The state government had informed the Assembly on Tuesday that Rs 5,823.07104 lakh has been spent on charges for airlifting/ helicopter for chief minister, other ministers and high dignitaries since May 10, 2021, till January 30, 2024.
The chief minister has not paid from his personal account for any air travel, and he has not availed air travel at government expenditure for personal work, work not related to his official duties or the political party he represents, it added.
Replying to the opposition’s criticism of huge expenditure for helicopter rides, Sarma said in the Assembly on Thursday that it was for the chief minister of Assam for official purposes only and it increased the efficiency of the government by cutting travel time.
The issue of expenditure on copter rides was raised by two digital media organisations in a joint investigative report on February three, which claimed that Sarma used state government funds amounting to crores of rupees to hire helicopters and chartered planes to campaign for the BJP, both within and outside the state.
Citing RTI replies, the media portals stated that Sarma had also hired chartered planes with taxpayers’ money to attend a number of weddings, apart from party meetings.
Dismissing the report, the Chief Minister’s Office had posted on X: “No expenditure of HCM Dr @himantabiswa election campaigns are borne by the State exchequer. All expenses, including flights, are paid for by the political party via bank transfer/cheque”.
It, however, said that whenever Sarma visits any district in the state or neighbouring states for official engagements, there could be social functions such as condolence meetings or weddings that coincide with the visit. (PTI)
