GUWAHATI, Aug 31 - Leader of Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia today alleged that the BJP-led Government in the State has failed to take any step to fulfil its election pledges during its 100 days in power. The Government has in fact drifted away from the main issues, leading to disappointment among people, Saikia said.
Saikia said that during the past 100 days, the State Government has not been able to arrest the rise in the prices of essential items. VAT has hit the commoners hard, while cement prices have shot up abnormally, he alleged.
The State has lost its Special State category status. But the State Government is taking recourse to lies to hide the issue.
Though the floods this year affected the State economy, claimed 30 human lives and affected lakhs of people in 23 districts, the State Government has not initiated any step to declare flood and erosion as national problems. The Prime Minister avoided the issue while expressing concern over the flood situation in North and Central India. Significantly, there was no protest by the State Government in this connection, Saikia quipped.
The BJP is now advocating for large dams in contrary to its stand on the issue while it was in the Opposition. The present stand of the State Government on the Indo-Bangla Land Swap Deal also indicates its double standards. The Government is not providing funds to the NRC update project and thus, it is delaying the updating process, Saikia added.
Referring to the statements made by a minister on the cut-off date for determination of foreign nationals illegally staying in Assam, Saikia said that the present Government has not taken any step to free Assam from foreign nationals. With its declaration to provide shelter to Hindus migrants from Bangladesh, the BJP-led Central Government has added to the apprehensions of the indigenous people of the State.
Many BJP leaders had extended support to the demand for selection of Raha as the site of the proposed AIIMS in the State. But later, they took quite an opposite stand. The State Government wrote to the Union Government, requesting for review of its decision on the AIIMS site only after the agitation led to the death of a person.
