GUWAHATI, May 2 � The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Assam Pradesh unit today demanded the resignation of Transport Minister Chandan Brahma alleging that the minister and his department have been too lackadaisical towards the issue of safety of the common people.
Addressing mediapersons here, functionaries of the party RP Sarma, chairman of the State BJP legal cell and Nazmul Alam, president of Minority Morcha said that if the Inland Water Transport Department had discharged its responsibilities with sincerity, the tragic ferry mishap in Dhubri could have been averted.
The party has also demanded an addition of another Rs 5 lakh to the compensation announced by the government for the next of kin of the ferry victims.
�It is very unfortunate that at this time of mourning in Dhubri, a section of parties are trying to gain political mileage out of it,� said Sarma accusing that Badaruddin Ajmal has been more devoted to playing the communal cards, totally neglecting the issue of economic development.
It needs to be mentioned here that a delegation of the party visited the mishap site and interacted with the tragedyhit families. The party said that the need of the hour was improving connectivity in the area and other basic amenities like health care.
�The BJP has long been demanding as many as eight bridges across the State, including one between South Salmara and Dhubri,� said Sarma calling for immediate implementation of the safety norms for plying ferries.
Meanwhile, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) too has demanded the resignation of Chandan Brahma pointing out that the Dhubri incident has exposed the shallowness and inefficiency of the Inland Water Transport Department. In a press statement, the KMSS also slammed Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for the pathetic economic scenario in Dhubri and insisted on the Chief Minister to tender a public apology for the ferry incident.
