Assam polls: Saikia targets BJP, flags ‘betrayal’ on CAA, wages, ST status

Guwahati, Mar 28: Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has alleged that the ruling BJP has “betrayed” the people of Assam on multiple fronts.

Asserting that the list of “betrayals” by the BJP is long, Saikia, the Congress candidate from Nazira, alleged that the government went against the spirit of the Assam Accord by granting citizenship to certain groups.

“The people of Assam were against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) from the beginning, but the BJP disregarded their aspirations and went ahead with it,” he said.

Saikia further alleged that the government failed tea garden workers by increasing their wages by only Rs 30.

He said a committee was formed in 2014 to revise wages, of which he was a member. “I had raised the issue in the Assembly, but the government said it could not intervene as it was a matter between garden owners and labourers,” he added.

“This time, however, just before the elections, the government raised wages by Rs 30, showing that it can act when it wants to,” Saikia said.

The Opposition leader also alleged that the BJP failed to grant Scheduled Tribe status to six communities - Tai Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi, Adivasis, Chutia, Moran and Motok, and did not make the state free from floods.

On the reported exit of senior leaders such as Pradyut Bordoloi and Bhupen Borah from the Congress to join the BJP, Saikia said it would have no impact on the party’s electoral prospects.

“They are not relevant, and their leaving will not affect us, particularly in Upper Assam,” he said.

Responding to speculation that he might join the BJP, Saikia dismissed the claims.

“I am not under any duress or pressure. I have already been grilled by the CBI and the Income Tax department. I have no need to go through the BJP washing machine,” he said.

He also alleged that the government has failed to ensure justice for cultural icon Zubeen Garg. “I have been saying there should be public scrutiny of proceedings related to the singer’s case, but the government did not respond,” he said.

The Congress leader claimed that his party had proposed the formation of a committee comprising prominent citizens to monitor day-to-day court proceedings and developments in the case to ensure it was on the right track, but this “has not happened so far”.

Saikia, who won the 2021 Assembly elections by a margin of just over 600 votes, expressed confidence of retaining his seat, though he said the margin remains uncertain due to the presence of a CPI candidate in the fray.

Elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4.

PTI