STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam Opposition parties raised a gamut of issues like COVID-19 management, vaccination drive, NRC, talks with the ULFA-I etc by taking part in the thanks-giving motion of the Governor's speech in the State Assembly on Monday.
Taking part in the discussion, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Debabrata Saikia said, "We gave a month's salary during the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020. Later, 30 per cent of our salaries were also cut for the pandemic. We were told at that time that some temporary hospitals would be erected in the State. We failed to see any hospital now.
"The COVID-19 management has to be done seriously. Vaccination is a problem in the rural areas in the State. Even some model hospitals don't have vaccines, let alone other hospitals. The registration for the vaccination of 18+ people should be made offline. Rural and tea estate people aren't well aware of online registration. The latest SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) for the COVID-19 this year has affected the poor badly. They should be given Rs 5,000 per month till normalcy returns.
"The ULFA problem has been a long-drawn-out issue. It has to be solved politically at the earliest."
Saikia also raised other issues like hiking tea labourers' daily wage up to Rs 351, giving ST status to the six ethnic communities on the State, creation of an autonomous council for the Tai Ahoms, pursuing the Centre for Bharat Ratna or Padma Bhushan to Late Homen Borgohain, land rights for the indigenous residents of Laika-Dadhiya and people living on embankments in the State etc.
Taking part in the discussion Congress MLA Bharat Chandra Narah said, "The genuine problems afflicting the State weren't reflected in the Governor's speech. Even the number of people who died of COVID-19, the stock of COVID-19 vaccines in the State, etc., were not mentioned in the speech. COVID management was almost successful in 2020, but the Government has not been successful in the second wave.
"The Sarbananda Sonowal Government had the policy of zero tolerance to corruption. However, this Governor's speech is mum on that.
"The government shouldn't go for 20 per cent re-verification of the NRC in districts bordering Bangladesh and 10 per cent in other districts. Any re-verification of the NRC will only stir up the hornet's nest."
Rakibul Hussain of the Congress said, "The second wave of the COVID-19 has badly affected rural and tea estate areas. The Government's COVID management has not been proper this time. The people in villages have to cry for vaccines."
Supporting the thanks-giving motion, AGP MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita said, "This august House should appeal to the ULFA-I to come forward for peace talks."
Rafiqul Islam of the AIUDF said, "Many civil hospitals of the State don't have ICUs (Intensive Care Units). This should be installed. The pandemic has affected the education sector in the State badly. The government should appoint teachers as and when vacancies are created."
BJP MLAs Prasanta Phukan, Bhuban Pegu, Padma Hazarika, Jayanta Malla Baruah, Mrinal Saikia and Nandita Garlosa; UPPL MLAs Govinda Basumatary and Lawrence Islary; BPF MLA Durga Das Bora; AIUDF MLAs Aminul Islam and Karimuddin Borbhuyan; and Congress MLA Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha also spoke.