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Opp gears up to take on Govt

By Staff reporter

GUWAHATI, July 11 � The Monsoon Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, which begins tomorrow, is likely to be a stormy one with the Opposition parties gearing up to put the Government on the back foot on several issues including the financial scam in North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. The Opposition parties have also decided to maintain floor coordination during the five day session.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the NC Hills Autonomous Council financial scam would be one of the major issues for the Opposition. He said that though the Government, following pressure from the Opposition, entrusted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with the responsibility of probing into the scam, the central agency was given only a limited mandate. He pointed out that the CBI was given the task of probing into only five cases of irregularities. The Opposition will demand that the CBI should be given the task of probing into all the financial dealings of the Council since 2001, said Patowary.

The Opposition leader said that with the case diaries of the cases involving Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made public by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti yesterday, the Chief Minister, who is also in charge of the Home Department, would be pressurized to make the Government� stand clear on the issue.

The Opposition will also raise the issue of price rise of essential commodities, which made life miserable for the common people of the state and seek clarification from the Government on its stand in solving the problem of militancy through talks. The Government made tall claims that the process of talks with the ULFA would start soon, but nothing happened on the ground and the Government must clarify its stand in this regard, Patowary said.

The Opposition has decided to strongly raise the issue of the failure of the Government to provide any help to the people of the State hit by flood and erosion. Patowary alleged that early floods this year severely affected the farmers but the Government only remained silent spectators instead of trying to provide help to those affected.

The Government is planning to submit a white paper on the performance of the AGP Government and the present Government in the last nine years on July 14. Patowary said that they were ready to have a detailed discussion on the white paper. But at the same time, he said that the Congress should have the courage to place a white paper on its performance since Independence as the party was in power for more than 50 years since the country became independent and the AGP ruled for only ten years and the Janata party for two years.

Patowary said that as 13 Government Bills are to be passed in the House during the five day session, there would be very little time to discuss all the issues concerning the people of Assam thoroughly and flood coordination between the Opposition is a must to forcefully raise the burning issues.

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