GUWAHATI, Dec 29 - Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia today said the pre-poll promises of the BJP have been exposed as �utterly hollow� and the dream of an Assam free of foreigners, corruption and pollution being promoted by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has turned into a mockery of the people.
�The Sonowal ministry�s support to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, means that contrary to its promise of ridding Assam of foreigners, the BJP was paving the way for foreigners without valid documents or with expired documents to obtain citizenship and settle in Assam merely on the basis of having stayed in India for six years,� said Saikia.
Terming the BJP-led government�s �zero-tolerance towards corruption� an eyewash, Saikia said illegal mining of coal and stone is taking place in Assam along with smuggling of these materials from neighbouring states. He cited reports of illegal collection of stones from the River Dikhow in the Bihubor area by using excavators and said the State government is least concerned that such activities have increased the threat of erosion and floods.
�The self-proclaimed �clean government� is trying to hush up a major scam worth about Rs 500 cr relating to purchase of tractors under the Chief Minister�s Samagra Gramya Unnayan Yojana. CM�s own guidelines were flouted as the agriculture department changed the guideline of purchasing from the manufacturer and opted to buy from institutional dealers,� said Saikia. He urged the CM to have the matter enquired by either by a High Court judge or the CBI.