Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Assam has sparked a political storm, with seven senior Congress leaders demanding accountability for what they describe as massive corruption, land grabs, and governance failures by the ruling BJP.
In a strongly worded statement, AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh, Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah, opposition leader Debabrata Saikia, MPs Rakibul Hussain and Pradyut Bordoloi and AICC media and publicity chairman Pawan Khera on Monday highlighted the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
They pointed out the recent violent incidents, including an attack on Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain in a busy marketplace, as indicative of BJP’s lawlessness. The leaders accused BJP-backed goons of assaulting police officers while law enforcement turned a blind eye.
“The past nine years of BJP rule in Assam have been marked by corruption, inefficiency, divisive politics, and economic stagnation. Modi may be here to inaugurate ‘Advantage Assam 2.0,’ but in reality, he is replicating his failed ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ model,” said the Congress leaders.
BJP’s investment claims under scrutiny
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Congress criticized the first edition of the Advantage Assam summit held in 2018, which promised investments worth Rs 1 lakh crore but resulted in only Rs 51,958 crore in actual investment, primarily from PSUs.
The Assam government’s own records show only seven public sector projects worth Rs 1,621 crore and a single private sector project worth Rs 39.85 crore have been commissioned in five years. Assam also ranks 20th in the central government’s Ease of Doing Business list.
Allegations of land grabs and business expansion by CM’s family
Congress further accused CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s administration of rampant land grabbing. “There’s a saying now in Assam—wherever you throw a ball, it will land on a plot grabbed by a BJP leader,” they said.
The leaders raised serious allegations against Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, who has allegedly amassed a vast business empire, acquiring multiple tea estates, a news portal, a McDonald’s franchise, and an international school. Her company, Pride East Entertainments Pvt Ltd, reportedly received Rs 10 crore in central subsidies.
Illegal mining and environmental destruction
Despite a 2014 NGT ban, illegal rat-hole mining is thriving in Assam, Congress alleged. Reports indicate illegal coal mining in Umrangso and Digboi Forest Division, leading to fatal accidents and the involvement of local authorities in the racket.
Rising unemployment and failing economy
Congress also slammed the BJP for its failure to generate employment. Assam’s unemployment rate has surged, with 27.5% of urban youth jobless as per the Labour Force Survey.
The state has over 33.5 lakh registered unemployed individuals, with numbers rising by 1.5 lakh every month.
Additionally, 2.11 lakh MSMEs have shut down over the past five years, leading to over 3 lakh job losses. Assam has also slipped in human development indices, now ranking 37th in the country.
Unfulfilled promises and policy failures
Congress leaders outlined BJP’s broken promises from its 2016 Vision Document, saying that BJP promised Rs 350 daily wages for tea workers but delivered only Rs 250, that too in 2023.
“BJP promised 100 BPO centers but has only established one. BJP vowed 500-bed hospitals in every district, but none have materialized. Despite promises, 40% of Assam still experiences annual flooding, with no substantial mitigation efforts,” they said.
“BJP’s narrative on illegal immigration remains inconsistent, with deportation policies in limbo and NRC expenditures exceeding Rs 1,600 crore without finalization,” they also said.
Crime and lawlessness under BJP rule
Congress cited NCRB data showing Assam as having the highest crime rate against women in India. They also accused CM Sarma of making divisive and casteist remarks, fueling communal tensions.
The Congress leaders questioned why Assam remains in turmoil under BJP rule and why governance has been marred by scandals, failed policies, and political vendetta.
They concluded by calling on the “Double Dhoka” BJP government to be held accountable for its failures.