Senior Assam Congress leader Ripun Bora on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led state government and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. He alleged that the state is witnessing police brutality, corruption, economic mismanagement and betrayal of election promises. Addressing the press in Mangaldoi, Bora said that the BJP has pushed Assam into a deep economic crisis. According to him, when Tarun Gogoi left office in 2016, the state’s debt was Rs 36,000 crore, which has increased to Rs 1.58 lakh crore today. He said that instead of delivering development and good governance, the Chief Minister is trying to buy votes through schemes like “Orunodoi” and “Lakhpati Baideu”, due to which the state is falling further behind economically.
Questions on employment and unemployment
The Congress leader also challenged the Chief Minister’s claims of providing jobs. Bora said the chief minister promises to provide one lakh jobs every year, but only 90,000 jobs were provided in the last five years, most of them on contractual basis. He alleged that unemployment in Assam has been rising steadily—22 lakh unemployed in 2016 has now risen to 38 lakh. He questioned where are the jobs promised to the youth of the state.
Police action on protesters and attack on CAA
Ripun Bora on Wednesday accused the government of police brutality, referring to the Koch Rajbongshi agitation in Golakganj, Dhubri. He said more than 200 people were injured in lathicharge on peaceful protesters. The streets turned red with blood, but the government suppressed voices instead of listening to complaints. Bora also criticised the BJP’s double standards on illegal immigrants. He said, “Modi ji had promised to expel all illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, but in 2019 he brought CAA and accepted not only Bangladeshis but also gave citizenship to people from Pakistan and Afghanistan. This weakened the Assam Accord and Assamese identity is under threat.”
Issue of tea garden workers and corruption
The Congress leader said that the condition of tea garden workers is worse than worse even today. Their daily wage is still Rs 250, which is absolutely insufficient to run a family. He alleged that the Modi government had promised free electricity, but today smart meters are being imposed on the workers. The promise of giving land rights is also incomplete, on the contrary, 1,200 bighas of tea workers’ land has been handed over to corporate companies. The process of eviction continues while lands are being given to big companies. Bora fiercely attacked the Chief Minister and his family and said that they are continuously adding properties like buying clothes. Land, sand and mining syndicates are flourishing, pushing districts like Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong to the brink of ruin. Bora said PM Modi’s upcoming visit should not be a mere “political ostentation” but should provide answers to the deeper problems the people of Assam are facing.
