Political bid: Assam CM Tarun Gogoi seeks refugee tag for Hindus from Bangladesh

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said that he will seek refugee status for people who migrated to India from Bangladesh following persecutions. “This will mean a central law for those who were forced to leave their homes. It will be on the lines of political asylum,” Gogoi said on Tuesday.

Traditionally, Bengali Hindus in Assam are believed to be BJP supporter. However, in the 2011 assembly polls, there was a distinct shift towards Congress. For the first time in Barak valley, Congress won 13 out of 15 assembly constituencies. This was seen as the result of Gogoi’s support for the cause of immigrants who had arrived in India due to persecution. He had said that they should be given refugee status on humanitarian grounds.

Gogoi said that his proposal will in no way violate the provisions of Assam accord. Under Assam accord, March 25, 1971, is the cutoff date for treating someone as a foreigner. Congress in Assam is confident of winning more seats in the Lok Sabha polls than last time. It had won seven seats out of 14 in Assam in 2009.

Taunting BJP’s presumptive prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Gogoi alleged that he was a capitalist. “Big companies were given concessions in Gujarat. That is why he is their darling. Ambanis and Tatas are backing Modi. Even businessmen of Fancy Bazar (business hub of Guwahati city) are backing BJP.”

Tarun Gogoi has said he personally favours Rahul Gandhi as Congress' PM candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha polls, echoing PM Manmohan Singh's statement that the party VP will be an ‘ideal choice’ for the top post.

“Manmohan Singh himself does not want to be the Prime Minister next time...I support Rahul Gandhi to become the Prime Minister. I am saying it openly and formally,” Gogoi said.

On whether the 2014 election will be a fight between Rahul and Narendra Modi, he said, “Fight is not between individuals, it will be between Congress and BJP. The fight will take place between the leaderships.”