Congress slams govt over rising agitations, electoral promises & encounter deaths

Guwahati, Dec. 31: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has condemned the state government's handling of several key issues.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Debabrata Saikia, pointed out that despite Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's assertions that Assam is now “agitation-free”, protests and discontent continue to simmer across the state.

“The Chief Minister has been speaking about Assam not being a state that is under agitations. However, various places across the state are still reeling under dissatisfaction,” Saikia said, urging the government to address the grievances of the people.

He also reminded the government of its electoral promises, particularly the pledge to ensure the safety and security of the people.

“During elections, the government sought 10 years to bring back ‘jaati, maati, bheti’ (identity, land, and home) for the people. We will be able to assess in the coming times how much this has been achieved,” Saikia added.

Saikia also raised concerns over the rising number of encounter deaths in the state, referencing a statement by Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Supreme Court, who hails from Assam, that encounters are "not acceptable”.

According to government data, 171 encounter cases occurred in Assam between May 2021 and August 2022, resulting in 56 deaths and 145 injuries. Saikia demanded that the government take immediate steps to prevent such incidents in the future.

Additionally, the LoP called for impartial action from the Assam Police, citing recent cases where police inaction had resulted in serious consequences.

“The Assam Police must act according to what their emblem says. Unfortunately, we have to bring up these issues following a few cases that have recently taken place in Guwahati,” Saikia said.

He specifically referred to an incident where a young woman lost her life after her FIR was not acted upon by the police. He also mentioned a recent case where a cab driver was arrested only after a social media post by the Chief Minister.

Saikia went on to criticise the state’s police performance, citing National Crime Records Bureau data that showed Assam's conviction rate had dropped significantly, standing at just 4% compared to the national average of 25%. He attributed this decline to alleged political influence over law enforcement.

On the economic front, Saikia pointed to discrepancies in the state’s development statistics. Despite the Chief Minister’s claim of Assam being on the path to becoming one of the top five developed states, the state's GSDP data from NITI Aayog ranks Assam among the bottom five.

“In terms of poverty, Assam holds the 10th rank. Assam has the 22nd rank on the Hunger Index and 25th on health indicators,” Saikia noted, questioning the government's development priorities and accusing it of favouring industrialists at the expense of the people.

Saikia also raised concerns about the welfare of farmers in Assam, alleging that “fake farmers” have been benefiting from government schemes to secure votes for the ruling BJP. He referenced discussions in the Lok Sabha about these fake beneficiaries and stressed that genuine farmers must receive their rightful benefits.

The Congress leader also spoke out against the government's handling of smart meter installations, claiming that the Chief Minister had failed to address concerns about the project.

“Just a couple of years back, digital meters were installed by spending a substantial amount of public money. Whether these steps are taken to benefit industrialists is something on which the people seek transparency,” Saikia said.

The primary Opposition also presented a letter to the state government demanding the removal of a wall currently covering the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at Janata Bhawan.

The Congress also called for the establishment of a national research institute in the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar in Assam.