GUWAHATI: Opposition Congress in Assam on Monday pledged to keep the fight against the ruling BJP going, while committing that protection of indigenous communities would be its poll plank in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
“The Congress is committed to protection of language, culture and identity of indigenous people. On the other hand, the claim by BJP national president, Amit Shah to bring the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2016 back, has not only stoked the fire of the anti-CAB movement that was doused only the other day but has shown that it was not concerned about the indigenous people,” said former chief minister and veteran Congress leader, Tarun Gogoi here on Monday.
“Such an adamant attitude on the part of BJP smacks of dictatorship which we in the Congress cannot ignore. The battle is not over. We will fight and emerge victorious in the Lok Sabha polls. We have to defeat (Narendra) Modi for the good of not just Assam but the entire country,” Gogoi asserted.
Rebutting Shah’s claims on the slew of schemes implemented in Assam, the Congress leader demanded a white paper regarding the development work done by the party since taking over in 2014.
“Be it the pre-poll promises on jobs for youths which have not been fulfilled or this late urgency to implement Clauses 5, 6 of Assam Accord, BJP has only been misleading people. They are claiming credit for the work Congress had initiated whether it is the National Register of Citizens update or the bridges built – Saraighat, Bogibeel and Dhola-Sadiya,” Gogoi said.
“Even in regard to the Bharat Ratna honour for Dr Bhupen Hazarika, they are claiming credit. But it was Congress who had honoured him with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan earlier,” he said.
The senior Congress ledaer further doubted the “BJP’s ability to detect foreigners in Assam even as it wanted to give refuge to foreigners by trying to table CAB in Parliament.”
Firing a salvo at Shah, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president, Ripun Bora said, “We vehemently oppose his claim on CAB and appeal to people not to support BJP in the coming elections as it still is intent on preparing a blueprint to destroy Assam. Only Congress can protect Northeast as we will always oppose CAB.”
Bora also pointed out that notwithstanding the political differences, in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, Congress national president had said that his party was behind the government.
“However, I would like to also point that the Kashmir situation has worsened owing to lack of policies and strategies on the part of the BJP government,” he said.