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A Correspondent
Numaligarh: At a time when protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act are erupting in various places across the State, the BJP with AGP and its alliances organized a ‘Sankalp Samawesh’ to showcase its power here at Bokakhat in Golaghat district on Friday. Bokakhat is the constituency of AGP president and Agriculture Minister Atul Bora. In the recent times, AASU, AJYCP and 30 ethnic organizations of the State also organized many protests, rallies against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at Bokakhat. The programme was attended by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Health and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Agriculture Minister and AGP president Atul Bora, BJP State president Ranjit Dass, MPs Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and Pallab Lochan Das, MLAs Ranoj Pegu, Mrinal Saikia along with many other leaders of BJP, AGP and its alliances.
Addressing the gathering at the Sankalp Samawesh, CM Sonowal said, “Congress and the left parties want to create an unstable environment by spreading violence in the State, But the people of Assam wants peace and development. Today, people are coming out and joining in here for the sole purpose of growth and development in the State.” “We are committed to work for securing each and every interests of all the indigenous people of Assam,” Sonowal added.
Breaking the tradition, Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed the budget announcement in the Sankalp Samawesh in Bokakhat. Addressing the people he stated that the people of the State is no longer required to pay even rupee 1 to get rice. Sarma said, “We have made certain arrangements in the upcoming budget so that people of the State will get rice at no cost, totally free. We will also provide sugar and peas (daal) at 50% Government subsidy.”
Sarma also criticized the whole anti-CAA lobby for spreading rumours and violence. Sarma stated, “When I was in class five, I saw protests in 1979. People of the State protested in a peaceful and democratic way by holding portraits of Mahatma Gandhi in front of them. We too respect peaceful and democratic protests. But, everyone has seen what has been done in the name of protest in the State recently. Public properties were torn, destroyed.”
Sarma further said, “Rumours had been spread that the lands of the tea gardens and other government lands will be given to the Hindu Bangladeshi migrants. We want to clarify in front of all the people present here today that not a single foreigner will be allowed to enter into tea gardens, till the BJP-AGP Government remains in power.”
In his speech Sarma also announced that the Government will also start a university in Golaghat district, so that the students of Golaghat no longer has to go to Dibrugarh or Guwahati for higher studies. Sarma said that the works for the university in Golaghat will be started by March 2020.
AGP president and Agriculture Minister Atul Bora also addressed the gathering. He said, “It was in Congress rule, when disturbance and anomalies were everywhere in the State. Now people seek development and growth only and our party with the ally is committed to it. It was in BJP Government rule, when illegal migrants were pushed out from Kaziranga. Congress only brought illegal migrants, now they have no moral right to say anything at all.” Thousands of people attended the Sankalp Samawesh while there were also some allegations made. A large group of women were seen returning from the programme site just before the commencement of the programme.
An anti-CAA group also called for a 12 hour Golaghat district bandh on Friday. The bandh impact was seen at various places of the district. Tyres, effigies were burnt on road at various places like Doigrung, Telgaram etc. It may be mentioned that just before the commencement of the Sankalp Samawesh, Golaghat police arrested AJYCP Bokakhat district committee general secretary Ananta Gogoi and AJYCP central committee joint secretary Bipul Bora on Friday morning. AJYCP Bokakhat committee has demanded immediate release of both the leaders. They also warned the Government of more strong and united anti-CAA protests in coming days.