Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi questions intent of tea workers land rights bill

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the state government over the Assam Fixation of Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Bill, 2025, alleging that the move to provide land pattas to tea garden workers is “election-oriented” and lacks genuine intent.

“There are doubts regarding the government’s land pattas to the tea community,” said Gaurav Gogoi, expressing suspicion over the state government’s decision to grant land pattas to the tea population. Questioning the timing of the decision, Gogoi remarked, “Was this decision only made on paper, or will it actually be implemented? If the government truly intended to give land pattas to the tea community, why didn’t they do it in the last ten years? Why has this law been brought just four months before the elections?”

Gogoi further stated that if the government had real intentions, the work could have been done either during Sarbananda Sonowal’s tenure or immediately after Himanta Biswa Sarma assumed the Chief Minister’s office. Alleging that the government has no genuine goodwill towards the tea community, Gogoi added, “The government has now acquired several tea gardens. These gardens have been handed over to owners who could not run them properly. Workers’ PF contributions were stopped. Benefits received during Puja and Christmas was discontinued.”

Accusing the Chief Minister of acquiring multiple tea gardens in the past five years instead of granting land pattas to workers, Gogoi said, “If the government genuinely wished to provide land rights to tea workers, the Chief Minister could have done so long ago instead of purchasing garden after garden.” He claimed that the bill has been introduced only because the elections are approaching.

Gogoi demanded, “First, make public the list of tea gardens purchased by the Chief Minister and his family. Then, in front of the media and cameras, grant land rights to the workers of those gardens. Only then will people know whether the government truly wants to grant land rights to the tea community or if this is merely for the election.”

He also urged the government to address the issues faced by small tea growers along with tea workers. Gogoi highlighted that the condition of tea workers remains miserable to this day. They continue to be deprived of quality education and healthcare. Anaemia has increased significantly. The spread of alcohol and drugs within the tea garden areas has become alarming. Gogoi further alleged massive irregularities under the Jal Jeevan Mission in tea garden areas involving a minister close to the Chief Minister.

Regarding these issues, the Congress will launch protest programmes in various tea garden regions across different districts starting December 10, Gogoi informed the media.

Moreover, Gogoi also held a day-long meeting at Rajib Bhavan with presidents and secretaries of 22 districts to review the organizational status at the booth level. The meeting discussed details of the Booth Level Agents (BLA) list, the progress of booth committee formation, and the need to present ongoing corruption and irregularities of the government before the public effectively.

Similarly, the meeting finalized the plan to send district and constituency-level representatives to the massive protest rally titled “Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod” to be held at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on December 14.

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