NEW DELHI, Feb 24 - Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday said that by directing the State government to accept the report of the high-level committee on Clause 6 of Assam Accord, the Government of India has insulted the Assamese society.
Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi said that when the notification was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) what is the logic of the Centre asking the State government to receive the report from the committee. It is an insult not only to the people of Assam but to the committee as well because it is headed by a retired judge and comprised prominent individuals of the society,� asserted Gogoi.
�Is Home Minister Amit Shah serious about implementing the committee�s report in letter and spirit,� he wondered, adding that the MHA should have accepted the report. Gogoi said the same fate awaited the committee�s report as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) report. �Why there is so much reluctance... The report will go into cold storage,� he said.
Meanwhile, flanked by former BJP MP RP Sarmah, the former Assam Chief Minister said that Sarmah would formally join the Congress on March 1 in the presence of party general secretary in charge of Assam, Harish Rawat and PCC president Ripun Bora.
On Monday, Sarmah, accompanied by Gogoi, met AICC general secretary KC Venugopal. Describing Sarmah�s joining the Congress as a major achievement, Gogoi said it will deliver a body blow to the BJP. He said Sarmah belonged to a family of Congressmen, and has come back to his roots.
Sarmah told newsmen that it was not that the Congress alone had approached him, but other parties like the Janata Dal (United), Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress and National People�s Party also wooed him.
Another former BJP MP Ramen Deka also expressed his discomfort on Monday and alleged that he has been insulted. Briefing newsmen separately, he alleged that when he called deputy commissioner of Darrang district to enquire about his pending Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds, the officer behaved very rudely and banged the phone.