Guwahati: The recent conferral of the “Best Chief Minister” award to Assam’s Himanta Biswa Sarma by India Today magazine has sparked a debate within the state.
While the award has been met with some celebration, a letter to the editor of India Today by Congress leader Mira Borthakur casts a long shadow over the accolade, raising serious questions about the state’s progress under Sarma’s leadership.
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Borthakur’s letter, a copy of which was shared on social media, expresses “pleasure” at the award but simultaneously highlights what she terms the “gross failure” of the current government across multiple sectors.
She asserts that the people of Assam are “anxious to know the various notable achievements” that justified the award, given the stark realities on the ground.
The letter details a litany of concerns, including Assam’s lagging economic performance compared to other states, despite the Chief Minister’s claims of rapid advancement.
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Borthakur points to critical shortages of doctors and staff in state medical colleges, even in newly constructed buildings, and cites parliamentary information revealing that the AIIMS at Amingaon operates with only 52% of its required medical personnel.
Further criticisms include skyrocketing prices, a staggering 3.7 million unemployed individuals (contrasting with the BJP’s election promise of one lakh jobs annually), and the forced installation of smart meters despite public protests. Borthakur also raises concerns about the closure of Assamese schools, the proliferation of wine shops, and cuts to central funding for the state.
“Many Assamese schools have been closed but private English schools have been allowed to establish and more importantly the Govt. has opened thousands of wine shops which have adversely affected the society. In the Central Budget, fund allocation for the state of Assam has been drastically curtailed,” Borthakur’s letter states.
The letter further alleges government inaction regarding unauthorized coal mining in Dima Hasao, which has reportedly resulted in laborer deaths.
Borthakur also claims that women have been “cheated” and that the government has failed to deliver on its promises, leaving educated youth especially deprived.
She further states that Assam is burdened by “unprecedented huge debt” and reiterates the public’s desire to understand the criteria behind the “Best Chief Minister” award.
“So the people of Assam wish to know the factors based on which he has been awarded as the best Chief Minister of the country,” she adds.