Ahmed takes Gogoi's cue on alliance

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Dec 25: A ‘grand stitching’ between the Congress and the AIUDF has been moving between a ‘grand alliance’ and a ‘grand understanding’ and the equilibrium state continues to elude the two parties.

Talking to newsmen at MLA Hostel at Dispur today, Assam Cooperative and Industries Minister Siddique Ali Ahmed took Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s cue on the proposed Congress-AIUDF alliance and said: “I don’t want any grand alliance with the AIUDF, but I want a grand understanding with the party as that will enhance our strength. This is what Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has been maintaining till now. Ajmal has not yet held any talk with us on, what he terms, ‘grand alliance’. If the party entrusts me to take the responsibility for such a grand understanding, I’m ready for the job. For us the situation isn’t something like that the Congress won’t be able to form the government at Dispur this time around without the AIUDF. It’s more than sure that the Congress is going to form the fourth consecutive government at Dispur. However, if there’s AIUDF support in the form of an understanding, we’ll gain strength. The voters in the State are in favour of the Congress.”

Ahmed said: “The situation in the country is at stake with commul forces in the country are out to destroy the age-old commul harmony among people belonging to various sects and faiths. The voters are fed up with the commul design of the BJP that led various secular forces huddling together in Bihar to defeat the commul BJP. Such a courage is the need of the hour in Assam to combat the BJP. However, what I want is a grand understanding, not a grand alliance.”

“BJP leaders like Subramanian Swami, Sakshi Maharaj, the Harya Chief Minister and the Assam Governor continue to make commul statements. While Swami was on record saying that churches and masjids are like community halls that can be dismantled, and as such Indian Muslims should leave for Pakistan. Despite holding a constitutiol post in the gubertorial office, our Governor makes commul statements. Even though we took oath under this Governor, my demand for his immediate arrest or removal still stands,” Ahmed said, and added: “The Harya Chief Minister was also on record saying that for the Muslims there’s Pakistan. If leaders speak this, what will the commoners do in the country? Majority in a country protecting the minority is a virtue, and this is very much applicable in Assam as well. The minorities should get justice. However, the BJP has been sowing the seeds of commulism in the State. All secular forces huddling together to foil the commul design is the need of the hour. If the BJP isn’t obstructed, the country will be divided into fragments. This is the reason why the Congress, AIUDF, AGP and the Left parties should go for a grand understanding.”  

Enumerating a number of misdeeds of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, Ahmed said: “The BJP did halt the implementation of the Food Security Act in Assam for one year and a half affecting the poor, reversed its decisions on the India-Bangladesh Land Swap Deal and hydel power projects, failed to check rise in prices, withdrew the 90:10 funding pattern in various schemes, halted development funds to the State, besides suspending the North East Industrial Policy.”