Udharbond Cong President Pulak Roy Coercively Collects Funds from Govt Offices; Bhupen Borah Condemns

Udharbond Block Congress President Pulak Roy has been quite busy these days. VIP visits are upcoming in the district, heavyweight Congress leaders, including the Congress’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi and Member of Parliament of Dhubri, Rakibul Hussain. Such a visit requires heavy expenditure which should account for the party’s out-of-pocket expenses. But not for Pulak Roy. He has been out and about collecting “Chanda” (donations) from not just Congress supporters, but also government offices in the block. A move which Bupen Kumar Borah, the President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee says is against their party’s culture.

With his official seal pad, Pulak Roy has been writing letters for donations to government offices and asking officers to donate in the name of “social cause”. In a letter addressed to the head of one such office in Udharbond (name not revealed for privacy), Pulak Roy writes, “We Udharbond Block Congress always like to involved in social work. I have also seen you always coming forward for any social cause” and mentions about the event planned on August 13, where MPs Gaurav Gogoi and Rakibul Hussain is to visit Cachar.

He also wrote, “I hope to get your cooperation in this cause. Kindly cooperate by donating in this social gathering which is going to be held regarding various social causes and activities”. Along with this letter, the block president of Congress attached a donation receipt of “Twenty thousand rupees only”.

In a telephonic conversation with Barak Bulletin, Bhupen Kumar Borah, the President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee said, “This is against the culture of our committee. If anyone comes forward to donate for the cause of the party, we humbly accept the donation but forcing someone or bullying someone into donating is not our culture. This issue has not yet been brought to my attention, but our party will take strict actions against anyone who indulges in such practices and collects coercive donations in the name of the party not following our values”.

It needs to be mentioned that Pulak Roy was the right-hand man of the then Minister and MLA Ajit Singh. When Singh was in power, Pulak Roy used to openly indulge in such practices of forcefully collecting coercive donations in the name of the party.