Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 12 : The Congress on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments at the Centre and in Assam, alleging widespread institutional misuse ahead of the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election and describing the recent floods in Upper Assam as a "man-made disaster" fueled by patronised illegal mining syndicates.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee’s newly appointed in-charge and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, along with Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Gaurav Gogoi, addressed a press conference at Rajiv Bhavan in Guwahati today.
The press conference was held after a day-long marathon series of organisational meetings with various wings of the Pradesh Congress, frontal organisations and senior party leaders from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm. Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain, Leader of the Opposition Wazed Ali Choudhury, AICC Secretary Manoj Chauhan, Working President Zakir Hussain Sikdar, Rozalina Tirkey and other senior party leaders were present at the press conference.
During the press conference, the Congress leaders launched a sharp attack on the government over the prevailing flood situation in the state, alleged large-scale illegal coal and sand syndicates, the alleged dual role of the Centre and the state government, rising prices and the forthcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election.
At the beginning of the press conference, APCC President Gaurav Gogoi outlined the key issues discussed during the day-long meetings and said that the government has displayed extreme negligence in providing the necessary assistance to people affected by the severe flood situation in Assam. He said the Congress party has already undertaken relief activities among flood-affected people in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat and Jorhat and that newly appointed Assam in-charge Bhupesh Baghel has advised the party to continue standing by and assisting the people in the days ahead.
Gogoi further alleged that the illegal coal syndicate operating in Nagaland has aggravated the flood situation in Nazira and Sivasagar. He said detailed discussions were also held on the alleged government conspiracy to reduce the boundaries of the eco-sensitive zone of Kaziranga in order to benefit syndicate networks, as well as the adverse impact of illegal syndicates on Assam’s rural economy and politics.
In addition, the meeting resolved to stand with the people on issues concerning students as well as national and international economic matters under the guidance of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing the press conference, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Assam Bhupesh Baghel thanked the people of Assam and the party leadership and said that Assam is not a new state for him. He said that ever since he served as an observer during the 2021 Assembly elections, he has remained continuously associated with leaders, workers and journalists in Assam.
Baghel said that besides strengthening the organisation, the day-long meetings discussed the burning issues facing the state, the Silchar Municipal Corporation elections and, in particular, the forthcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election.
Expressing concern over the recent flood situation in Assam, Baghel said that during the monsoon, the Brahmaputra floods cause a natural disaster every year and result in widespread damage, with the issue frequently becoming an electoral issue as well. However, he alleged that this time the floods in Upper Assam, particularly in Sivasagar, Jorhat and adjoining districts, are not merely a natural phenomenon but a completely man-made disaster caused by illegal mining allegedly carried out with government patronage.
He alleged that illegal mining is being carried out under the protection of the ruling establishment. According to Baghel, the miners and their wealthy associates have made profits amounting to thousands of crores of rupees, while ordinary poor people have had to pay the price, with their homes and properties being destroyed.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP’s so-called “double-engine” government, Baghel said that while seeking votes, the double-engine government promises double benefits, but the real picture becomes evident when a poor person’s hut is washed away in floods and household provisions, clothes and other belongings are destroyed by floodwaters.
He said that at such a time, the government does not even stand beside the affected people to wipe their tears, thereby doubling their suffering. He further alleged that the reduction of the boundaries of Kaziranga’s eco-sensitive zone was also part of a conspiracy to benefit the government’s wealthy corporate associates and illegal miners.
Responding to questions from journalists regarding the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election and former MP Pradyut Bordoloi’s departure from the Congress, Baghel took a sarcastic dig at the former MP and said that as long as Pradyut Bordoloi remained with the Congress, he continued to serve as a Member of Parliament. But after coming into contact with the BJP, he became an MLA instead of an MP.
Baghel said that no person changes political parties merely to move from being an MP to becoming an MLA. “There must have been some compulsion; otherwise, no one becomes ‘disloyal’ without a reason,” he said.
He questioned what Bordoloi wanted to hide or whom he wanted to protect by switching parties, and said that neither Pradyut Bordoloi nor Himanta Biswa Sarma would tell the people the reason. Baghel further said that because of their mistake and the mystery surrounding the matter, the people of Nagaon have once again been burdened with the electoral burden and inconvenience of a by-election.
On the key issues surrounding the Nagaon by-election, Baghel said that the election itself has been imposed on the people. He said that the true character of the double-engine government has been exposed over the past six months.
He said that soaring prices of petrol, diesel, cooking gas, sugar and edible oil have severely affected ordinary people. Farmers are unable to obtain the chemical fertilisers required for cultivation and, even when they do, they are forced to pay exorbitant prices.
Baghel added that the government’s alleged misgovernance and its utter failure to handle the flood situation would also emerge as major issues in the by-election. He said that the mindset of people across the country has changed and that the BJP has become extremely apprehensive.
He alleged that the Prime Minister and Home Minister are now being forced to avoid discussions on important matters on the floor of Parliament. He further claimed that after the Lok Sabha election results, the BJP was unable to celebrate its victories in Assam or Bengal because, according to him, the mandate was “false and stolen”.
On a journalist’s question regarding the obstacles allegedly created by the administration for Rahul Gandhi’s student outreach programme, “Chhatra Ki Gunji”, Baghel said that the BJP is extremely afraid of students and issues related to education.
He claimed that in Uttar Pradesh, attempts were made to disrupt the programme by making the playground muddy, while in Uttarakhand, a music programme was organised simultaneously in an alleged attempt to keep students away.
Baghel questioned why the BJP government is so afraid of issues such as education, higher education, the rising cost of education and the problems faced by students. He said that it is the responsibility of the Congress, as the opposition, to listen to the problems of the younger generation and raise them in the Assembly and Parliament.
He alleged that the BJP government does not want Indian society to become educated, for people to use their intelligence and conscience, or for free expression and debate to flourish. Despite all these alleged obstacles, Baghel expressed confidence that the student outreach programme would be successful.
Responding to a question regarding the bilateral discussions held between the Foreign Ministers of India and China, Gaurav Gogoi said that the border dispute with China, the huge trade deficit, stamped visas and the security concerns of people living along the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh are extremely sensitive issues.
However, he said that the Central Government has not provided the people of the country with any clear information regarding the specific progress India actually achieved during the talks. Gogoi demanded that the government should make clear and detailed information public on such important issues.
On the Nagaon by-election, Gaurav Gogoi launched an attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and said that dedicated BJP or RSS workers in Nagaon can now forget about dreaming of becoming Members of Parliament.
He said that even in the 2024 general election, instead of giving tickets to its old and dedicated workers, the BJP had given tickets to leaders who had come from the Congress. Now, he alleged, the party is once again preparing to field people who joined the party only recently in the by-election.
Gogoi said that the Chief Minister has poured cold water on the hopes and aspirations of those who have worked for the BJP and RSS with lifelong dedication. Whether in Dispur or Nagaon, he alleged, genuine and old BJP workers will never be able to move ahead as long as Himanta Biswa Sarma remains in power.
At the very end of the press conference, Bhupesh Baghel levelled an explosive allegation regarding the BJP’s candidate for the Nagaon by-election.
He alleged that the former Deputy Commissioner of Nagaon had participated in a meeting of the Election Commission while still holding a government position and had assigned responsibilities to officers and employees. After all the arrangements for the election had allegedly been prepared, the officer resigned from the post, following which the BJP projected him as its election candidate.
Expressing strong resentment, Baghel said that this was an extremely serious and shameful matter. He alleged that earlier the BJP used to steal only votes, but now it has openly “stolen the entire government system”.
Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi made it clear at the press conference that the Congress party would soon send the list of candidates for the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election and the Silchar Municipal Corporation election to the party high command and would contest the elections with full strength.