GUWAHATI
The United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), one of the two regional allies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam, has washed its hands of a man seen sleeping on a bed of cash in a photograph that has gone viral on social media platforms.
The photograph of Benjamin Basumatary lying on and covered with ₹500 currency notes has generated political heat ahead of the April 19 Lok Sabha election.
The Congress-led Opposition parties on Wednesday demanded a probe to unearth how the man, who it claimed was the UPPL’s Village Council Development Committee (VCDC) chairman in Udalguri district, got hold of so much cash.
Congress MLA and leader of the Opposition in the 126-member Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia said he brought the matter to the notice of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Director General of Police Gyanendra Pratap Singh.
“How can their VCDC chairman sleep on currency notes when they avowedly adhere to the ‘Na khaunga, na khaane dunga’ (I will not be corrupt, I will not let anyone be corrupt) maxim? There are charges against him [Basumatary] about misappropriation of NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana) funds,” he said, urging the police to file a case against the man.
UPPL president Pramod Boro, who is also the chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), issued a notice that read: “We want to clarify that Benjamin Basumatary is no longer associated with the UPPL as he was suspended from the party on January 10, 2024, and disciplinary action was taken against him after receiving a letter from the Harisingha Block Committee of the UPPL on January 5, 2024.”
He also said that the BTC administration suspended and removed Basumatary from the post of the VCDC chairman on February 10.
“His actions are solely his own responsibility, and the party is not accountable for any of his personal acts,” Mr. Boro added.
Mr. Basumatary, who is at the centre of the controversy, claimed the photograph was five years old and it was circulated as part of a conspiracy.
“I had the photograph clicked for fun at that time after borrowing ₹3 lakh from my sister. I did not get the cash through any unfair means,” he said, vowing to “find those who gave me a bad name”.
The UPPL is contesting the Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency, which encompasses much of the area governed by the BTC.
