GOALPARA, Feb 8 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has urged the people of Goalpara to vote for the Congress party in the Panchayat polls.
Addressing two large rallies at Matia (Dolgoma College Field) and Ambari (West Goalpara College Field), on Thursday he said that the Congress Government is committed to rural development and appealed to the public to vote for the party. He also dwelt on various welfare schemes and mentioned the achievements in the field of education as students get free books, laptops and bicycles.
Taking a swipe at the Opposition, Gogoi said that AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal is much closer to AGP president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.
Ranee Narah, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, who also addressed both the meetings, said that the Congress Government is working on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi�s dream of �gram swaraj� and people must realise that the Government is doing what is required by trying to improve the overall condition of the rural people. While appealing to the rural people to vote for the Congress, she also mentioned the various welfare schemes for women�s education and empowerment.
Meanwhile, in response to a question regarding the Government�s decision to hold Panchayat elections in the Rabha Hasong Council areas and subsequent violation of the Rabha Hasong Accord of 1995 or the Memorandum of Settlement, 1995, the Chief Minister conceded that there might have been some mistakes while signing the accords. However, he stressed that all existing laws will apply in these areas as nowhere it is mentioned in the Rabha Hajong Act,1995 that the Panchayat elections cannot be held in the RHAC areas. He further said that the Government is committed to holding both the Panchayat as well as the council elections in the Rabha Hasong areas and there is no question of turning back from these commitments.
