Gogoi drops a massive political clanger!

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 14: Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today dropped a massive political clanger in his all-out attack against State Fince Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his onetime blue-eyed boy.

Talking to newsmen in the city today, Gogoi said: “I saved him in all…I knew everything, but pretended to know nothing... Taking that advantage he could ‘mage’ everything. It was my mistake. By doing that I've sinned.”

The former Chief Minister, however, stopped short of spelling out in no uncertain terms what he meant to say by the phrases ‘in all’, ‘knew everything’  and ‘pretended to know nothing’.

Going further in his attack against his former Cabinet colleague, Gogoi said: “Himta was not at all ready to accept the Home portfolio. He wanted Home and PWD. However, later he refused to give up the Home Department. He knows everything – when to sold, when to stab and whose lap he has to sit on. At first he used to praise Late Hiteswar Saikia. He then praised me. He is now praising Sonowal, but a bit less than what he had praised us.”

Gogoi reacted sharply to Sarma’s statement on the floor of the House that ‘the government was on the service to Doridro rayan (the poor) and that there is no minority in Assam as the Hindus are also minority in as many as 11 districts in the State’. Gogoi questioned: “Who’s Doridro rayan? The minorities are the real Doridro rayan in Assam. My Government did proceed by taking all, and it was why I set up development councils in the State. The term ‘minority’ is given by the Constitution of India.”

Targeting Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju for his recent statement that the population of the Hindus is falling fast in the country, Gogoi said: “Such a statement from the Union minister has proved that Hindutva is his ideology. While taking oath they talk the  language of the Constitution of India, but speaks the language of the RSS elsewhere. Now Himanta is making the State Budget on the Hindutva line. It’ll follow suit in the educatiol institutions in the State as well.”

Reacting to State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary’s statement in connection with the alleged molestation of an SFI member in Jorhat recently, on the floor of the House yesterday, Gogoi questioned: “Won’t the State Government protect the girl since she is an SFI member? Providing security to girls, women and all others is the responsibility of the government. Dispur just wants to play down the recent Jorhat incident.”

Reacting to the outburst of Gogoi, State Fince Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “Nowadays the former Chief Minister is making statements beneath his dignity. He’s out to smash what he has earned in his three terms as the Chief Minister. It’s about time his family members controlled him. He has no power to save me. If there’s Anyone who can save people, it’s God. Gogoi shouldn’t play God. Each of his statements makes a perfect case. It’s not his age to be in quarrel with a novice like me.”