Congress leader Rahul Gandhi kickstarts poll campaign from Sivasagar

OUR CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT: Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi launched the party's campaign for the forthcoming Assembly elections from a public meeting at Boarding Field in Sivasagar on Sunday.

Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi said, "We are committed to implement the 'Assam Accord' signed between the 'All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and the Central Government in 1985. If the Congress comes back to power in Assam, the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) will not be implemented in Assam or any part of the country at any cost."

He claimed that only Rs 167 was given to tea garden workers (as wages) but the entire tea garden was being handed over to Gujarat businessmen. "If the Congress returns to power, we will give Rs 365 as daily wages to tea garden workers."

Suggesting an amicable solution to the infiltration problem through dialogue, Gandhi said that if violence engulfed Assam, it would affect the entire country.

"Assam is a beautiful flower of India. For India, Assam's unity and development are necessary, and for Assam, India's growth is essential. The Congress brought the Assam Accord and established peace. The Congress will protect the historic Assam Accord at all cost."

Criticizing the announcement of 'Padma Bhushan' award posthumously to former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on the eve of 72nd Republic Day, Rahul Gandhi said that the award was also given to an official in the Prime Minister's Office.

"When Gogoi built Assam, united people, sacrificed his entire life for the cause of Assam and its people, he was equated with a bureaucrat posted in the PM's Office," he said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is one of the central observers for Assam, in his speech said that the Congress built the country, constructed airports, oil-based industries and other undertakings, but the BJP was selling all these iconic establishments.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora said that with the signing of the historic Assam Accord at the instance of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, long-lasting peace was established in Assam.

"From the flood havoc to terrorism, Congress leadership from Rajiv Gandhi to Rahul Gandhi has been always concerned with any issue related to Assam and they rush to the State in case of any crisis and problem," said Bora. Lok Sabha MP and Congress Campaign Committee chairman Pradyut Bordoloi, AICC general secretary and party's Assam affairs in-charge Jitendra Singh, Congress Manifesto Committee chairman and MP Gaurav Gogoi were also present on the occasion.

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