Assam’s Gir Cow Scam: Allegations of Corruption and Mismanagement Rock BJP-Led Govt
Reports indicate that only 210 cows were delivered, with 154 returned due to poor quality and 56 dying. Around 90 cows reportedly went missing during transportation.
GUWAHATI– A major controversy has erupted in Assam over what has been dubbed the “Gir Cow Scam,” involving allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and favoritism in a government-backed dairy initiative under the Gorukhuti Bahumukhi Krishi Prakalpa (GBKP). The project, launched in 2021 to boost rural economies through dairy farming, is now under scrutiny for misallocation of public funds and failure to deliver promised resources to local farmers.
The initiative, which aimed to transform Assam’s dairy sector, involved the procurement of 300 Gir cows from Gujarat, funded by nearly Rs 17 crore in public money. However, reports indicate that only 210 cows were delivered, with 154 returned due to poor quality and 56 dying. Around 90 cows reportedly went missing during transportation at Rangia railway station, and allegations suggest some were diverted to private entities, including a firm linked to Assam Cabinet Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah.
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JMB Aqua Agro, a company purportedly owned by the wife of Minister Baruah, allegedly received a substantial government subsidy and cow allocations, raising questions about favoritism and transparency.
Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi has compared the scandal to the infamous Bihar fodder scam, alleging that the cows delivered were not genuine Gir breed, pointing to fraud in the procurement process. Gogoi has demanded Baruah’s immediate dismissal and a high-level probe into the matter.
The Assam Congress, led by president Gaurav Gogoi, has also criticized the BJP-led government, with Gaurav claiming the scam reflects the “true face” of the party’s leadership. He had previously raised concerns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but no action has been taken.
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Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged statewide protests on July 4, demanding accountability for the irregularities in cow procurement and distribution.
Further allegations point to the involvement of Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia. According to MEDIA reports, Documents accessed through RTI queries reveal that Saikia paid Rs 1,00,000 for two pregnant Gir cows valued at Rs 1,32,000 in March 2023, but there is no official record of him returning the cows or transferring them to farmers as claimed.
This has fueled accusations of favoritism and misallocation of public resources, as the cows were meant for local farmers but were instead distributed to BJP leaders, including Saikia and several other MLAs.
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The controversy has sparked outrage across Assam, with farmers who were meant to benefit from the project left empty-handed. Social media posts reflect public frustration, with users highlighting the scale of the alleged scam and questioning the government’s commitment to rural development.
As investigations continue, the Assam government faces mounting pressure to address these allegations and restore confidence in its agricultural initiatives. The “Gir Cow Scam” has not only exposed potential corruption but also raised serious questions about the management of public funds in one of India’s largest rural development projects.
