GUWAHATI: Congress has questioned BJP’s “dual standard” on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an election rally in Assam on Thursday, his first after the announcement of the poll schedule last month.
Addressing the media at the state Congress headquarters Rajiv Bhavan here, AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala asked, “Why was the PM silent on the citizenship legislation? He termed the CAA “a conspiracy” to eliminate the identity of Assam.”
“Why do you want to harm the original identity, culture and civilization of Assam? Is Modi ji planning to implement this Act after the Bidhan Sabha election in Assam? Modi promised to implement CAA in West Bengal. On the other hand, they said their government will not implement CAA in Tamil Nadu but why is Modi ji silent in the context of Assam? Why this double standard?” Surjewala said.
In a state, known for its culture, tolerance, moderation, goodwill and harmony, he said in the past five years, to quench their thirst for power in Assam, not only had BJP sown seeds of division, but also “attacked” the language and land of Assam through CAA.
Among the 10 questions Congress hurled at Modi, one on development in chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s Majuli was at the top. “We remember the speech of Modiji on the world’s largest river island Majuli on March 26, 2016. He had appealed to the public to vote and they would build a bridge over the Brahmaputra. Today, we want to ask why there was no development on it. Now, on the eve of Assam assembly polls, why are they serving up lies by doing “bhoomi poojan” of the bridge from Majuli to Jorhat, which will cost Rs 925.47 crore?” Surjewala asked.
The reports of 1,300 km of expressway on both banks of the Brahmaputra at Rs 40,000 crore raised expectations high among the people of Assam in 2017. The Congress leader, however, said on February 8, the Rajya Sabha disclosed that there was no proposal to build an expressway on the two banks of the Brahmaputra.
Surjewala alleged that women’s safety was compromised during BJP’s rule in the state. “In the entire nation now, Assam is recognized as the most unsafe place for women. In the last three years, the women of Assam have fallen prey to 80,794 cases. BJP has made Assam the hub of child trafficking. Half of this type of crime happens in Assam only. How will you answer about the crime against women?” he said.
“Modiji had promised people of the state that of the 63.25 lakh rural families, 59 lakh will get water under the Jal Jeevan scheme but after three years why are 56 lakh families still deprived of this scheme?” Surjewala wondered.