STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The APCC (Assam Pradesh Congress Committee) on Thursday reacted to the one-month completion of the newly formed BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government.
The APCC underlined that technically the BJP government in Assam is five years and one month old and only the 'captain' of the party has changed.
"As an Opposition party, it is our responsibility to keep a vigilant eye on the performance of the government in power whether that government is one month old or five years old. We need to see that whatever steps the Government takes is for the welfare of the people of Assam," the APCC stressed.
The party said that in this one month of the BJP government, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is seen to be trying very hard on building his image as being strict on issues of drug peddling and cow smuggling.
"In the last five years what was the BJP government doing by not apprehending the drug peddlers or not taking any strong step against cow smuggling as they are trying to do now? Why were they allowed to carry on these nefarious activities in the last five years? Who benefitted in those last five years when Government and Assam police were turning a blind eye to such activities?" the APCC questioned.
Further, the party pointed out that Assam has been adjudged the worst performing State in Niti Ayog's Sustainable Development Goals Index.
"This very fact as determined by the Central government's Niti Ayog is proof itself of BJP's government's poor performance in Assam. In Good Health and Gender Equality Assam's score is 28th and we are all aware that the present CM was also the Health Minister of Assam. He was also the longest-serving Education Minister and today Assam is on the bottom line in education as per Central government report published by Central Education Minister," the APCC said.
The party said that the CM is quiet on the appointment of relatives of Minister Sanjay Kishan in the latter's own Ministry of Welfare of Tea Tribes and Labour.
"Nepotism in the appointment of government jobs in Department of P& RD happened even in the previous BJP government and it is continuing unabated. Moreover, the implementation of the CAA through the direction of the Central government to the Assam government is a conspiracy to nullify the NRC. Without a proper NRC, how can Assam grant citizenship to any migrant? This is a total betrayal of the people of Assam and disregard of the Assam Accord. The CM is also quiet on this issue," the APCC said.
The party underlined that the 'poor' vaccine policy of the Central government had its repercussions in Assam as well whereby people have faced great difficulty in getting the vaccination.
"COVID deaths in Assam has increased manifold in the second wave. The CM needs to reflect on why Assam lost so many lives," the party said.
Lastly, it urged the CM and the BJP government to make their stand clear on the above issues as they are 'affecting' the life and welfare of the people of Assam.
"The life of a government is five years which can counter to 1,825 days. Hence 30 days of a government cannot be brushed aside as a small number. And APCC hopes the government will utilize the rest of the days judiciously," the party added.