Congress staged statewide torch light march against Bill, Welcomes AGP's decision for breaking alliance

Guwahati: Opposing the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 and violation of the Assam Accord, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) staged a statewide torchlight march today with the slogan “Jagao Assam, Bachao Assam”.

In Guwahati, the torchlight march was held from Manabendra Sarma Complex to Ganeshguri Flyover.

It may be mentioned that Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) President Atul Bora, after meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday made a sudden official statement in New Delhi that the party has decided to rule out its alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Notably, the AGP is strongly opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 and the recent scenario of burning conflicts with the BJP regarding the Bill, the regional party from Assam has decided to discontinue its alliance with the ruling party.

Speaking to the media during the torchlight march today in Guwahati, Ex-CM, Tarun Gogoi said, "I welcome the decision of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) for breaking its alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Although they are late, finally the regional party made a very good decision. It's good news for the people of Assam. BJP had ruined the regional party. BJP's only agenda was to ruin the regional party. In a democratic country, there has to be an opposition party, but the agenda of BJP is dictatorship and promote dirty politics."

Ex-CM Gogoi blamed CM Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary for the present scenario in the state. "They failed to manage the situation," Gogoi adds.

"It is common for minister like Himanta Biswa Sarma who after coming into power disregarded the sentiments of the people of Assam," adding, "Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma follows the ideologies of Mohamand Ali Jinnah. Jinnah supported Muslims and he supports Hindus. Congress has always been neutral, we respect all the religion. We believe in the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi, Srimanta Sankardev, Madhabdev, Ajan Phakir, Sukapha. Congress doesn't want to follow the ideologies of Jinnah, if it happens then there is no similarity between Himanta and AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal," Gogoi claimed.

It may be mentioned that a group of AGP leaders had visited Rajnath Singh at his official residence wherein the political leaders could not find a suitable solution to their issue which compelled them to take the ultimate decision of parting ways with the BJP. The group of AGP leaders who visited the Union minister includes Keshab Mahanta, Phani Bhushan Choudhury, Ramendra Narayan Kalita and Birendra Prasad Baishya.

This has been reported that the Cabinet had approved Joint Parliamentary Committee’s report and Rajnath Singh has also announced that “CAB will be passed in the Lok Sabha tomorrow”.

The AGP president, while talking to the media, has stated that there is no question of staying in alliance with BJP when the interest of greater Assam is not being paid due honour.