BJP fires back at Mahanta on martyrs' issue

What respect did Mahanta pay to Assam Agitation martyrs by inducting IM(DT) scripter Abdul Muhib Mazumdar in his Cabinet as Home Minister, replacing Brighu Kumar Phukan? Asks Momin 

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 26: The BJP has fired back at former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and said that it is known to all what kind of respect did Mahanta pay to the 855 Assam Agitation martyrs by inducting controversial IM(DT) Act scripter Abdul Muhib Mazumdar in his Cabinet as Home Minister, replacing Late Brigu Kumar Phukan.

Addressing newsmen in the city yesterday after his return from Bangladesh, Mahanta said that the AGP would not let the sacrifice of the 855 Assam Agitation martyrs go in vein. He also said that the AGP would not allow any insult to the Agitation martyrs in the me of tiolism.

Reacting sharply to the former Chief Minister’s statement, BJP’s State Minority Morcha president Mominul Aowal today said: “Let Mahanta spell out what kind of respect did he pay to the martyrs by inducting Abdul Muhib Mazumdar, scripter of the controversial IM(DT) Act, as State Home Minister in place of Brighu Kumar Phukan. CPI leader Late Promode Gogoi was against the Assam Accord, but Mahanta inducted him in his Cabinet. Were it not disrespect to the martyrs? This apart, what did Mahanta do to implement the Assam Accord in two terms as the Chief Minister?”

Reacting to APCC president Ripun Bora’s complaint to the Election Commission of India and statement against the BJP government at the Centre, Aowal and BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami said: “The BJP’s is not a government of falsehood, but the Congress’ was. Who can count how many assurances did Gogoi give to the people of the State and how many foundation stones did he lay in the past 15 years? Nobody knows how many of the promises were met and how many of the projects completed. Gogoi used to give 48 promises in 24 hours. How come such a party term the BJP a government of falsehood?”

On Bora’s complaint with the EC on the Centre’s announcement of Rs 1 lakh crore for connectivity projects in Assam terming it as violation of the Model code of Conduct for polls, the two BJP leaders said: “The Opposition by the Congress shows that the party doesn’t want the development of Assam. Our government is working in full swing to meet the promises made in the last Assembly election in the State.”

Jayanta Malla Baruah, also a spokesperson of the BJP, said: “The Congress is scared of the pace of development of the BJP government in the State, and hence the criticism.”

Other spokespersons of the party Manoj Baruah, Aparajita Bhuyan and Dilip Saikia were also present at the press meet.