Insurgency on rise in Assam during BJP rule: Gogoi

Former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today alleged that insurgency has increased in Assam after the BJP-led government came to power in the state.

"Insurgency problem has increased in the recent times. It has gone up after the new government came," he said in the state Assembly.

Taking part in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor's address, Gogoi said, "To tackle the insurgency problem, I had initiated backward region development fund. Now, the Centre has stopped it."

"Earlier, police modernisation was done completely on Central assistance, but it is not the case now. So, how are you going to handle the insurgent elements?" he asked.
 

The senior Congress leader said he does not believe that corruption has ended as the people, against whom BJP had brought serious allegations of graft, were highly decorated in the current government.

"Health, education and some other departments during my tenure must be very clean as the minister then, is the minister now," Gogoi said.

He claimed that demonetisation has severely affected Assam, specially the weaker section of the society.

He doubted the process of updating the NRC as speed of work has slowed down considerably.

"Why is the border between India and Bangladesh not sealed fully in the last two and half years of the BJP government at the Centre? You just see how much sealing was done by the NDA and how much by the UPA," he said.

About withdrawal of NSG commandos from his security cover and another former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Gogoi said it was done as "we are Assamese and Assamese people are polite".

"The Centre talks about love for Assam, so why has it not done anything concrete or announced special funds to tackle flood and erosion problems of the state? There was nothing for the state in this Union Budget also," the Congress leader claimed.

Attacking the BJP government for its "double standards", Gogoi alleged, "The state government always talks about its commitment towards the Assam Accord, but the Centre is planning to amend the Citizenship Act on religious lines."

"You (Centre) talk about Ajan Fakir and Sankardeva, but evict people on religious identities. You are saying one thing and doing another. I do not know what the Governor is talking about," he said.