People Must Choose Between Vote Bank Politics and Development, Says Assam CM

Dibrugarh: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said people must choose between vote bank politics and the development path taken by his government over the last five years.

Addressing the gathering after unfurling the national flag at the Republic Day function in Dibrugarh, Sarma said Assam will head to Assembly polls in the coming months and voters must decide the direction they want the state to take.

He also asserted that the election would be a referendum on development versus divisive politics.

Referring to past decades, the Chief Minister said Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations in Assam were once marked by violence and insurgency.

“Today, Assam stands among the fastest-growing states in the country,” he said, claiming a significant turnaround in the law-and-order and development scenario.

Taking a strong political stand, Sarma said his government has decided not to “surrender to Bangladeshi Muslims” whom he accused of encroaching upon large tracts of land and posing a threat to Assam’s identity, culture and traditions.

He said the state government has initiated eviction drives to reclaim encroached land.

He further said that his administration is committed to safeguarding Assam’s maati (land), bheti (foundation), sanskriti (culture) and parichay (identity), stressing that these efforts are aimed at securing the rights and future of coming generations.

Calling upon people to remain firm and forward-looking, Sarma urged citizens to stay “atal, abichal and agragami” in ensuring that Assam’s identity is protected and that the development journey continues.

He said the goal of his government is to establish Assam as one of the leading states in the country through sustained growth and stability.

Also Read: Assam’s Growth Momentum Ahead of National Pace, Says CM Himanta on Republic Day