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Induction of Parliamentary Secretaries criticised

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Sept 20 - The Guwahati Senior Citizens� Association (GSCA) has sharply criticised the �irresponsible attitude� of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in inducting 13 new Parliamentary Secretaries against the prevailing financial stringency of the Government of Assam, which has failed to repair the roads and bridges of the State, 95 per cent of which are now in a dilapidated condition.

The association pointed out that the need of the hour today was to provide employment to three million unemployed youths of the State and �not to provide higher allowances to a small section of the politically privileged people.�

The meeting held on Saturday under the presidentship of senior journalist DN Chakravartty, expressed surprise how a responsible Chief Minister could select some people with questionable credentials � a couple of whom are known to be jailbirds � against the backdrop of a difficult law-and-order situation and financial hardship of the State.

Initiating the discussion, Chakravartty referred to the difficult socio-political situation in the State and voiced concern over the growing indiscipline, violence and crimes, and also degradation of the character of a fairly large section of students in schools and colleges of the State.

Referring to the Government of India�s decision regarding sheltering of non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan and Bangladesh, Chakravartty said the problem of Hindu and Sikh minorities from Pakistan and Bangladesh was a national problem of India and Assam should not be expected to shoulder the burden of fresh crops of new refugees while she had already given shelter to over three million Hindu refugees, in addition to accommodating over five million Muslim immigrants from East Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The association urged the Government of India to arrange systematic distribution of Pakistani and Bangladeshi refugees throughout the entire country, sparing Assam the burden of fresh refugees or immigrants.

Krishna Lahkar, Baneswar Khound, Hem Chandra Sarma and Madhabananda Dutta Bardoloi in their reports mentioned the financial and welfare activities of the association.

Durga Charan Choudhury read out a short story, while Kabita Sarma recited a poem.

The meeting accepted the resignation of Tobiul Hussain, member in charge of administration and coordination on health grounds, and thanked him for his sincere services towards the growth of the association during the last 15 years. Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has been nominated to Hussain�s post, while Baneswar Khound has been entrusted with responsibilities to assist Mahanta.

Surendra Kumar Baruah and Dr Malati Baruah also participated in the discussion.

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