Congress ruled Assam to celebrate Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday with year long programme

GUWAHATI: Fearing hijack of its iconic leaders by BJP, Congress ruled Assam unusually announces grand plan to celebrate 125th birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

The year long programme will kick start on November 14. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi is expected to roll out several schemes for the underprivileged children on Nehru’s birthday.

This year the state government is out to make the Nehru’s birthday a grand show with celebrations in every district and central function in Guwahati.

Assam education and industry minister, Pradyut Bordoloi however argued state government is not doing this out of any apprehension. “Every year we celebrate his birthday, however this year being his 125th birthday we want to celebrate the same with year long programme. “We have always given importance to our leaders.”

There is now speculation that Gogoi is aping Prime minister, Narendra Modi. Soon Modi launched “Swachh Bharat” campaign, Gogoi launched his version of “Clean and green Assam” campaign.

Gogoi in the lines of Modi’s “Man ki bat” show in radio has started a television programme “Peoples government at peoples door step”.

However Gogoi has refused that he is aping Modi. Gogoi said, “I have done the television programme interacting with people and listening to their problem much ahead than Modi’s programme. I do not follow anyone.”

Assam and NDA led centre are at loggerheads over the venue of National Youth Festival slated to be held from January 8 to 12 next year.

The Union Minister of state for of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, Sarbananda Sonowal wants to festival to be held in world’s largest river island, Majuli.

Bordoloi said that around 6000 youths from across India will come for the festival and adequate infrastructure created by the national games exists in Guwahati. “How such huge number of people will stay in Majuli and transport as the mode of transportation there is waterways.”

He said if Centre wants to go ahead with the same venue it can do at its own risk. “Centre has railways, army at its disposal, so they can go ahead, we however cannot bring bad name for Assam.”

BJP has alleged the Assam government is not co-operating.