Gogoi suffering from depression: Sonowal

'What happened to the packages announced by Tarun Gogoi and Manmohan Singh?'

By Our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 20: State BJP president Sarbanda Sonowal today alleged that Chief Minister has been suffering from depression because of his utter failure to develop the State. "And it is because of this depression that the CM is repeatedly targeting the BJP," Sonowal told a press conference.

Brushing aside Gogoi's criticism of Prime Minister rendra Modi for not announcing Rs 1000-crore package for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Sonowal said the Central government is committed to allot sufficient funds for the region in the upcoming budget session of Parliament.

"The Chief Minister has no right to criticize the Prime Minister for not announcing the fund package. What happened to the fincial packages announced by the Chief Minister for Barak Valley, flood and erosion affected Dhemaji district and other areas in the last 15 years? None of the promises has been fulfilled," the Union minister charged.

"Our intention is not to make announcements. Our Central government is committed to provide all assistance for the State's all around development," Sonowal said.

He reiterated that CAG reports have stated that the Assam government has failed to give accounts of Central funds to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore.

"The CM has no answers for it…neither has he challenged the reports," Sonowal said, also demanding details of expenditure of Rs 1,645 crore released under the SDRF in 2015.

Sonowal also questioned why Gogoi was announcing fincial packages to different areas and communities on the eve of the elections.

The State BJP president also alleged that during the tripartite talks in 2005, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured to complete the NRC update work in two years, the border fencing in one year besides declaring the State's flood and erosion problem as a tiol problem. "None of the assurances were fulfilled. The NRC work started after the BJP government came to power at the Centre," he pointed out.

Gogoi on Tuesday had stepped up his attack on the BJP after the Prime Minister did not mention anything about a fincial package for BTAD during his Kokrajhar visit even as BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary was "upbeat" that the Centre was going to announce a Rs 1000-crore development package.

The BJP and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) clinched electoral alliance in New Delhi recently. BPF leaders have been saying that the Centre had promised Rs 1000-crore development package during their visit to New Delhi on Sunday.