GUWAHATI, Jan 30 – Following three days of intense brainstorming on bolstering its image, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to confront the ruling Congress in Assam by launching a crusade over its “all-round failures”. The decision comes just at the time when all political outfits in the State are bracing for the Assembly elections scheduled early next year. Addressing a press conference here this afternoon, BJP’s central observer for Assam, SS Ahluwalia said that his party has decided to launch an agitation against the present regime after intense discussions on issues like unemployment, illegal immigration, the “different types of scams”, and the precarious law-and-order situation. The discussions on these issues were held during the State executive meeting, the office-bearers’ meeting and the State council meeting spanning three days. The confabulations concluded yesterday.
The BJP will launch its agitational programme on the first day of the next session of the State Assembly with a protest rally at Dispur, Ahluwalia informed. The party will also make public that day a ‘chargesheet’ that will highlight the crude oil, public distribution system (PDS), public works department (PWD), Antyodaya Yojana and government and semi-government appointment scams that have embroiled the names of several Congress ministers, MLAs and party functionaries.
With a view to sustaining the intensity of the proposed agitation, the BJP has formed an ‘agitational management committee’ with Nagaon MP Rajen Gohain as its chairman, BJP State president Indramoni Bora said. A ‘chargesheet preparation committee’ will prepare the ‘charge sheet’ against the Congress government with BJP’s Assembly leader Bimalangshu Roy as its chairman. Almost the entire party leadership, including parliamentarians and legislators, have been co-opted in the two committees.
The ‘chargesheet’, Ahluwalia said, would also include the party’s opposition to the decision to hike municipal property tax in Guwahati. “They are increasing municipal taxes without providing even the basic necessary infrastructure to the people,” he stated. The Rajya Sabha member said that there is no proper sanitation in the city and the citizens do not even have drinking water.
The BJP’s main beating stick, however, is the twin blasts at the Judges’ Field here on Republic Day. Demanding a “high-power” CBI enquiry into the incident, Ahluwalia said that the blasts should not be used to “punish or reward favourable or unfavourable officers.” He demanded the imposition of President’s Rule in the State for the government’s failure on all fronts. “Unfortunately, the Congress is also in power at the Centre.”
Apparently not happy with the government’s decision to shunt out the Guwahati SP and DC following the blasts, Ahluwalia said that it is a “matter of investigation whether the bomb was planted to remove these officers” and whether the two could be held responsible for the incidents. “Merely transferring a person is not going to stop such incidents,” he said. “The BJP demands a high-power enquiry about the whole affair so that the truth can come out.”
The BJP leader also criticised the government for failing to provide enough relief and rehabilitation to the victims of last year’s floods in the State. “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also assured the State Government that Rs 200 crore will come as relief and rehabilitation package for flood victims. Unfortunately, we don’t find anything on the ground. People are still running from pillar to post to get relief.”
Blaming the Tarun Gogoi-led government for getting its priorities wrong, Ahluwalia said that the government is giving all sorts of allurements to tobacco-based industries at the cost of the State exchequer even though the tobacco industry is shunned all over the world. “Nobody is ready to come here for any industry due to corruption,” he said.
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