No controversy on permission to Anna Hazare rally : Tarun Gogoi

GUWAHATI, Apr 29 : There was no controversy regarding permission given to anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare to address a rally at Judges Field here on May 3, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said today.

"Reports about the controversy are false. He ( Anna Hazare) can have his meeting anywhere. Why should I object," Gogoi told reporters here.

"I welcome him to Assam and we support his crusade against corruption. That is why our (Congress) government at the Centre formed a committee to draft the Lokpal Bill," he said.

Gogoi also wanted the corporate houses to be brought under the Lokpal Bill.

Asked to comment on corruption in the state, he said measures had been taken to check it and out of 37 cases in the state he had recommended 17 of them for CBI inquiry.

On the various mafia syndicates for coal, fish, vegetables and others in the state, the chief minister said he was against it and during his tenure syndicates have decreased though still in existence.