GUWAHATI: An image of a bare-bodied man lying on stacks of ₹500 currency notes laid out on a bed, and some covering him from forehead to below the waist went viral on March 27.
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The man was identified as ex-UPPL leader and VCDC chairman in Bhairaguri, Udalguri district Benjamin Basumatary.
Before long though, UPPL president Pramod Boro clarified that the image was old and Basumatary was suspended from the party after it had first came to light.
He said on X on March 27 that Basumatry was no longer associated with 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 party on January 5.
Besides, he said the BTC government had also suspended and removed Basumatry from the post of VCDC chairman on February 10, 2024.
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“A malicious photo of Benjamin Basumatary has been widely spread by media and social media users associating it with UPPL. It has nothing to do with UPPL or BTC Government. The photo was taken five years ago by Mr Basumatary’s friends while they were partying and he was blackmailed with this photo thereafter. The cash in the photo was of Benjamin Basumatary’s sister.”
As the image circulated on different platforms, prompting widespread reactions, the UPPL said the image was being used by other political parties as a ploy to malign the its image.
The party may just have avoided a potential bed of thorns with the Lok Sabha elections round the corner.
