NEW DELHI, Sept 18 - Former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today warned the State Government against allowing Chakma, Hajong and Rohingyas entry into the State, claiming that Assam cannot take the extra burden.
Briefing newsmen, the former Chief Minister attacked the ruling State BJP Government ridiculing that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has been running from pillar to post in the national capital pleading for sanction of Central funds. It appears that the Centre is totally indifferent and not keen on helping the State Government.
Gogoi was also critical of the State Government for neglecting some of the long-pending issues, including the peace talks with pro-talk factions of ULFA and NDFB. At this rate, and the manner in which the State Government is approaching the issue, the six communities will never get Schedule Tribune (ST) status, Gogoi claimed.
Stating that there is no space in Assam, Gogoi said that the State Government should order security forces to hold the Chakma, Hajong and Rohingyas at the border itself. Allowing Rohingyas entry inside the State would mean that a different set of law like the Foreigners Act would come into play.
As reported by this newspaper, Dispur has already ordered the State Police force and border guarding forces to push back Rohingyas to Bangladesh.
As for Chakma and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh, where 1 lakh of them are all set to be given limited citizenship rights, Gogoi did not rule out that some among them might try to migrate to Assam. What is the BJP�s policy going to be, because on the one hand you are keeping the gates open for Hindu migrants and on the other, talking about keeping others out.
The former Chief Minister demanded publication of a White Paper on flood and erosion during the last five years in the State. �Let the audit cover my tenure as well, so that the truth about the work undertaken during the term of the Congress and BJP regime comes out in the open,� he said.
Gogoi claimed that nothing much has happened to the demand for sanction of Rs 1,138 crore under Flood Management Scheme pending since his days. Besides, not a single scheme has been cleared after 2013, he claimed.
�Either the State Government has failed to convince the Government of India about its priorities or immediate necessity or the Centre is indifferent to the State�s demand,� he said.
�The monsoon season is going to be over soon. When is the work for the next year going to start�? He asked.
Till now, nothing has been done, and I fear the flood and erosion problem will only aggravate next year,� Gogoi observed.
Criticising the population policy, Gogoi said that the Sonowal Government�s policy has increased the mismatch between availability of land because it is shrinking at the rate of 8,000 hectares per year and the State has lost 4 lakh hectares since 1952-1954.
The situation is grim because the State Government has rolled out the red carpet to welcome the Hindu Bengali migrants. On the other hand, they have a different policy for the Muslim migrants.
When asked about the claims of NEDA convenor and State Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma�s claims of wiping out Congress from the North East, Gogoi responded by stating that the issue whether the BJP wants to solely capture power or work for resolution of the varied problems was the main issue.
