Assam polls will be fight between people and 'raja': Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi alleged that the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government was running an authoritarian regime and claimed that the upcoming assembly elections in the state would be a battle between the people and the 'raja' (ruler).

He claimed that people's right to criticise, a crucial element in a democracy, was being taken away by the BJP-led coalition government.

"This election will be between the people of Assam and the raja (ruler)," Gogoi said on Friday while addressing a 'Gana Abhibarthan' (mass convention) organised by the Dibrugarh District Citizens' Forum here as the state gets into poll mode.


Assembly elections are likely to be held in March-April.

He asserted that the Constitution has given citizens not only the right to vote, but also the right to criticise the government.

"Democracy is impossible without the right to question. Citizens have the right to know what kind of work the government is doing in the fields of health, education and infrastructure. But this government does not want to empower the public. Their political ideology is like that of old kings. A maharaja is sitting in Delhi, and in every state where they are in power, they have installed a raja," Gogoi said.

The Congress leader equated the government's welfare schemes with a ruler distributing freebies among the subjects occasionally to project himself as benevolent.

"Distributing public money through schemes is the duty of every government. But this time, we are seeing that conditions are being attached. If you want to receive benefits, you cannot belong to another party, cannot attend another party's meeting, cannot question or criticise. This is their behaviour, this is their arrogance," he said, taking a hit at the Sarma-led regime.

Accusing the BJP of running the government through threats and intimidation, Gogoi said, "Those sitting in Delhi and Dispur cannot sit there forever. If the people unite and become alert, they can uproot these leaders in a second. But the people must unite for it."

Gogoi alleged that whenever people try to unite, the government resorts to divisive politics.

"Sometimes in the name of religion, sometimes language, sometimes Upper Assam-Lower Assam, Karbi and non-Karbi, Bodo and non-Bodo, Mising and Ahom, Moran and Chutia, the BJP tries to destroy unity by creating divisions," he said.

Gogoi also said, "Conscious citizens must create awareness so that common people can understand these conspiracies."

Taking a swipe at the chief minister, Gogoi said, "While Assam should be among the top five states in welfare, it is instead among the bottom five. On the other hand, the CM has managed to enter the list of the richest chief ministers in India."

The Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha further said alliance among various opposition parties is 100 per cent certain.

"We need everyone. Everyone must unite. This election is not party versus party, nor opposition versus BJP. It will be between the people of Assam and the ruler," he maintained.

Opposition leaders, including Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Raijor Dal general secretary Dhairya Konwar, among others, were also present at the convention.