Why only Social Welfare, why not into Health and Education? Bora

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 28: The Congress has asked the BJP-led government at Dispur as to why it has started an inquiry only into the Social Welfare Department, and why not into departments like Health and Family Welfare and Education.

Talking to newsmen at Rajiv Bhawan here today, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora said: "In order to hush up their failure, the BJP leaders in Assam have targeted Congress leaders. Theirs is a political vendetta. So as not to allow the Congress leaders to work for the revival of the party cases have been filed against them. They're released only after talks with BJP leaders. The PSOs of over 150 Congress leaders, including MLAs, have been withdrawn. In the inquiry, the Congress leaders in the State are victims of a political conspiracy. We're not against inquiry into corruption. However, what's being done in the Social Welfare Department in the State now isn't inquiry, but a political vendetta on the pretext of inquiry. This is aimed at throwing poor light on the Congress leaders in the State. Former minister Akon Bora has been grilled, and efforts are on to grill other Congress leaders. Social Welfare's was just an allegation. Why aren't there any inquiries into the appointment scams in Health and Education departments? Inquiries into Saradha scam, Luiz Berger scam and NC Hills scam were very much in BJP's poll promises. Why doesn't Dispur inquire into all those scams in accordance with the poll promises?"

Bora said: "This government has utterly failed to implement the budget proposals. It has failed to spend around 80 per cent of funds allocated in 2016-17 Budget. Fince Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma himself told his Cabinet colleagues to spend Rs 11,000 crore by January 31, 2017. How is it possible? There was a budget proposal to spend Rs 1.22 crore in every gaon panchayat under Pradhan Mantri Gram Yojo (PMGY), but not a single GP got a penny. The government had a standing order of taking action against department not being able to spend budgetary allocation. This is despite the BJP saying that the budget is sacrosanct and that the Congress has all along been ravaging this sanctity."

Bora claimed that now the people of the State are inching towards the Congress. "The people of the State came to know their mistake by opting to vote for the BJP, both at the Centre and in the State," Bora said, and appealed to all deserters to stage a homecoming so as to save the tion from the BJP. He also appealed to Congress' like-minded people also to join the Congress.

 On demonetization, Bora said: "The Congress is going to hold 'jonobedo panchayat' in every LAC in the State on February 20. The AICC has already appointed its coorditors and the APCC has appointed observers."

The press meet was also addressed by CLP Leader Debabrata Saikia, former ministers Rakibul Hussain and Pradyut Bordoloi.