Former Deputy Speaker of Assam and sitting BJP MLA from Silchar, Dilip Kumar Paul, on Thursday came down heavily on his political rival and sitting Congress MP from Silchar, Sushmita Dev. His anger could be gauged by his looks and by her stand on opposing the bill on October 23 last, when Joint Parliamentary Committee members met for a dialogue on this contentious issue in Delhi.
Briefing the media at the inauguration programme of an urban primary health centre (PHC) on Thursday afternoon in his own constituency of Silchar, he lashed out at All India Mahila Congress President and one of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) member, of this debatable Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Sushmita Dev and her party for maintaining double standards on this grave issue.
Later, talking to Northeast Now on the sidelines of this programme, Dilip Kumar Paul, said, “It is really shameful for a national party like the congress. They have served our country for donkeys’ years and see the state of affairs of India even after more than 70 years of independence. First they supported this bill out here in Barak valley and opposed it in Brahmaputra valley and Delhi.”
He went on fuming over MP from Silchar and said, “Now the stand is very clear of the MP from Silchar. Earlier she said, not just Hindus, but, the Muslims too should be brought under the purview of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. Not just that, for now, she has changed her stand once again and says that by passing this bill, Assam would turn into ashes with conflicts between Bengali speaking community and the Assamese brethrens. This divide between the Assamese and Bengali community has been started by the Congress and no one else.”
On the recent bandh in Assam over opposing this bill, Dilip Kumar Paul, informed, “Akhil Gogoi’s KMSS, AIUDF, AAMSU, Congress party and the ULFA are now working hand in glove to tarnish this state. I have never seen them work together in developing Assam or for that matter in bringing about an industrial revolution or an uplift of the health sector, or raising voices for creating job opportunities for lakhs of unemployed youths in this state. All of them would never fight for these issues.”
When asked whether BJP leaders of Brahmaputra valley and BJP leaders of Barak valley are on a common platform over this issue he said, “There is no difference between us. From all over India this decision to get the bill passed is universal, both, within the party, as well as, the governments. We would stay in Assam and help it grow. There is a wrong conception that this bill is only for Assam, but, one must see that this bill encompasses the whole of India.”
Deputy Speaker added, “Where will these people go. These Hindu minorities living in a foreign land would go to which other country other than India for being oppressed out there. India is our land and we have come here not just to live in Assam.”
Meanwhile, all eyes and ears would now rest upon what MP from Silchar and JPC member, Sushmita Dev, says back to these comments, for she is slated to land in Silchar on Friday next.