Why BJP Quiet over China building dam on Brahmaputra River: Priyanka

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JORHAT/NAZIRA/GOLAGHAT/GUWAHATI: The general secretary of AICC (All India Congress Congress Committee), Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said that China has been constructing a dam on Brahmaputra River, but the BJP government is doing nothing to protect the river, which plays a big role in the lives and economy of the people of Assam.

Addressing three election rallies at Jorhat, Nazira and Khumtai in eastern Assam, Priyanka Gandhi said that with the construction of the dam by China, much damage will be done to the Brahmaputra River. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Assam for poll campaign several times, but he did not utter a single word on the vital issue, nor did he prevent China from constructing the mega dam," she pointed out.

The Brahmaputra river, also known as the 'Yarlung Tsangpo' in China, flows for about 2,900 km from Tibet into Arunachal Pradesh and down through Assam to Bangladesh. (IANS)

By JORHAT CORRESPONDENT Add: Addressing a massive rally at the JDSA Field in Jorhat, on behalf of Congress candidate Rana Goswami, Priyanka said that the PM had said that the Congress was conspiring to finish off the tea industry in Assam, adding that this was based on a tweet of a 22-year-old girl. Mentionably, Modi referred to this tweet during a political rally at Chabua on Saturday.

"Instead of talking about the issues facing this State, instead of talking about the BJP's agenda for Assam, instead of talking of whatever development the BJP had done for the State, he honed on to a tweet of a 22-year-old girl; and made this the basis of a conspiracy theory against the Tea industry by the Congress. Does this befit the office of a Prime Minister? Why is the PM showing so much concern about the tea industry?" asked Priyanka Gandhi.

Priyanka further said that the Prime Minister had said that the Congress had not protected Assam. "By saying so, the PM was also indirectly referring to three times Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi who has now passed away but for whom Assam was uppermost. The PM should not speak ill of such a man especially when he is now no more among us. Gogoi worked throughout his life for the people of Assam."

Priyanka Gandhi further said that the Congress would give Assam a Chief Minister who belongs to Assam.

By GOLAGHAT CORRESPONDENT: Addressing a huge gathering at the Borjan Playground in 96 Khumtai LAC (Legislative Assembly Constituency) of Golaghat district, Priyanka Gandhi flayed the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. Priyanka Gandhi also said that Assam was being run not by the State government, but from Delhi. "The PM said you have a double-engine government, but Assam has two CMs; and both of them are working through remote control from Delhi. I don't know which fuel runs which engine. The Assam government is not run in Assam," said Priyanka Gandhi.

"The BJP leaders performed 'Namami Brahmaputra' but did not call a single priest from the Maa Kamakhya temple. The BJP does not respect the Brahmaputra and the "Bhoomiputra" (sons of the soil).

The Congress leader also alleged that "the BJP government has been selling out significant assets of the country, causing enormous loss to the economy of India. From Delhi, BJP leaders are preparing a list of properties to sell in Assam. After selling the Guwahati Airport, the BJP government is now preparing to sell the Numaligarh Refinery Limited. The BJP-led government had promulgated an ordinance allowing big industrialists to purchase lands in Assam without any permission. A syndicate raj is prevailing in Assam."

Claiming that crime and atrocities against women are the maximum in Assam and Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi said that the BJP governments in these two States are cheating the women and youth, besides duping the farmers.

"When the people of Assam are agitating against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), the BJP is committed to enforce the new Act. If the Congress comes to power, as part of the 'five guarantees', CAA would be repealed," she said. "Right after coming to power they have done nothing to preserve the culture and identity of the people here. On the other hand, threat looms large of the people losing their identity once CAA is implemented," she said.

Priyanka also told the gatherings, "The people will have to make their own destiny, as the BJP leaders from Delhi cannot do anything for them.

"The BJP leaders are so ignorant about Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva that they are saying that he (Sankardeva) was fighting against the infiltrations and dealing with other issues. When these people do not know about the iconic figure of Assam, how can they do good to the State?" she asked.

Srimanta Sankardeva was a 15th-16th century Assamese saint, scholar, poet, playwright, social-religious reformer and a figure of importance in Assam's cultural and religious history.

Priyanka Gandhi also talked about the Congress party's five guarantees, and again promised 200 units of free electricity, Rs 365 daily for the workers in tea plantations, and a direct transfer of Rs 2,000 for the women home-makers in the State.

Priyanka arrived in Assam on Sunday and during her two-day stay, she is scheduled to address six election rallies in eastern and central Assam and also to visit the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva at Bardowa Xatra.

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