GUWAHATI, July 1 - A war of words has broken out between the BJP and Congress regarding the decision of the State Cabinet to facilitate easy conversion of land for industrial purposes, as well as on the matters of COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown.
On Monday the State Cabinet had cleared the MSME ordinance which puts an end to the process of taking multiple permission for setting up enterprises in the State for the next three years.
Terming the Cabinet decision �anti-indigenous�, former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, �The recent decision of the State Cabinet allowing for easy conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes without having obtained permission from the Revenue department is a dangerous and anti-indigenous decision. It is contrary to the BJP�s assertion of safeguarding the interest of the people by raising the slogan of �Jati Mati Bheti�. Nowhere in the country there is such a blanket permission for conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes, not even in the advanced industrial states.� He was addressing a press conference here today.
He also accused the ruling party of using the lockdown and the prevailing restrictions imposed in view of the pandemic to gain political mileage.
�The BJP is playing politics in the name of the lockdown. It is organizing political and government meetings. However, other political parties are not being allowed to hold events. Even in my own Assembly constituency of Titabar, foundation stones were recently laid by one Hemanta Kalita and one Kumud Kachari, who have got no official authority, for three projects financed by the 14th Finance Commission. Even I was not informed of or invited to the event though I am the local MLA,� said Gogoi.
He termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi�s latest address to the nation �most disappointing� and �a flop show�.
�People were keenly waiting to know about the action taken by Government of India to push back the Chinese incursion in Ladakh. Modi�s complete silence on this important issue of national importance displays his weakness vis-a-vis the Chinese government,� said Gogoi.
He also accused the Central government of failure in tackling COVID-19 and in addressing the problems of rising unemployment, loss of income and poverty.
�The number of unemployed people in the country is now almost 13 crore. People are losing their income and livelihoods. Merely providing 5 kg of rice or wheat and 1 kg of chana per person till the month of November is not enough,� said Gogoi.
However, the BJP, in turn, accused the Congress of playing politics over the pandemic and the lockdown. �Lockdown has been extended till July 31 in Maharashtra. But the Congress does not speak about that. Here in Guwahati, the State government has imposed the lockdown to break the chain of spread of coronavirus. The Congress is making irresponsible comments. All parties must rise above politics in this time of crisis,� State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass said at a press conference.
Regarding the Cabinet decision on conversion of land, Dass said, �We are trying to bring in a change in the State�s industrial sector and promote setting up of new industries so that the migrant labourers who have come back can secure employment.�
He said Modi�s announcement extending Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana till November will benefit 58 lakh families in Assam. �Over 2.05 crore people of Assam will receive free ration for another five months. The State will benefit to the tune of Rs 2,236 crore. It will entail distribution of 1.25 lakh tonnes of rice and 5,795 tonnes of lentils,� he said.
