BJP has no commitment to Assamese tiolity: Gogoi

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 4: Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today accused the BJP government of maintaining double standard on the phrase ‘humanitarian ground’.

On the Centre’s move to amend the Citizenship Act so as to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis, Gogoi today questioned: “Does the government want to bring Bangladeshis to Assam by selling the people of the State? The BJP says that it is trying to bring the Bangladeshi Hindus to Assam on humanitarian ground. How come the same government doesn’t want to provincialize the venture schools of Assam on humanitarian ground?”

Gogoi further said: “The BJP made it to Dispur with the slogan of Jaati (Assamese tion), Maati (land) and Bheti (foundation). However, now the BJP government is out to sell the Jaati (Assamese tion). This has made it crystal clear that the BJP has no commitment to the Assamese tion. If the Assamese can’t live in Assam and can’t their language in Assam, where will they live and speak their mother tongue? The Bill to amend the Citizenship Act has to be withdrawn. Even several Constitutiol experts told the Parliamentary Standing Committee that any amendment to the Act would be tantamount to the violation of the Constitution of India and the Assam Accord. Dispur should make its stand on the Citizenship Act clear.”

On Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent statement that the Gauhati High Court had to declare the Assam Venture Schools (Services) Provincialization Act invalid following a note from the then State Fince Minister (Tarun Gogoi), Gogoi said: “It there’s any such note, let Sarma make it public.”