Assam: Bhupen Borah offers Rs 1 lakh reward for journalist asking daring questions to Himanta Biswa Sarma

Bhupen Borah, the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), has stirred controversy by openly announcing a reward of Rs 1 lakh for any journalist who dares to ask challenging questions to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Borah made the announcement during a media address on April 3, where he accused the media of shying away from pressing issues.

Addressing the gathered press, Borah challenged the media's silence on critical matters, stating, "You cannot ask the chief minister about the electoral bond scam, Coal, and supari syndicates. Do you have the guts to ask the Chief Minister about this? No, you can't." He further criticized media outlets for allegedly taking cues from Chief Minister Sarma, accusing them of neglecting their journalistic duty.

Borah went on to lay out specific questions he urged journalists to pose to Chief Minister Sarma. He emphasized three key queries: the failure to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six scheduled tribes within the promised 100 days, the non-implementation of Clause 5 and Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, and the status of the Chief Minister's promise to address unemployment by providing Rs 5 lakh annually to 24 lakh unemployed youths.

In a bold move, Borah targeted journalists in Barpeta, announcing the reward specifically for those who could muster the courage to confront the Chief Minister with these pressing questions.

Yesterday, Bhupen Borah, the President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), openly called for donations, citing the dire financial condition of the party. Speaking at a public event in Pathshala, Borah acknowledged the challenging situation faced by the APCC, and said that he already took Rs 80 lakh as donation last month.