Latest news with #AssamCongress
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Cong slams govt over threat to migrant Muslims in state
Guwahati: Assam Congress has accused the state govt of failing to protect the constitutional rights of migrant Muslims of Bangladesh-origin, known as 'Miyas', in upper Assam. The party has criticized the govt for allegedly being a mute spectator as indigenous youth and student groups prevent these migrants from entering the region, calling it a blatant violation of their right to free movement. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Ripun Bora, former president of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, addressed the media at Rajiv Bhavan in Guwahati, highlighting the plight of workers from lower Assam who have been labeled as 'Miyas' and forced to flee. "These are Muslims seeking work and livelihood, not land grabbers," Bora asserted, emphasizing their contribution to the GDP. The Congress leader's remarks follow renewed threats from local groups demanding 'Miyas' leave upper Assam within 48 hours. Tensions escalated in Charaideo district when a Muslim family, armed with sharp weapons, confronted local organization members allegedly searching for migrant Muslims. The Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad has threatened a 100-hour bandh if their demands are not met. Bora expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation, urging indigenous groups to maintain harmony and condemning the state govt's inaction. He accused the BJP-led govt, under CM , of failing to ensure public safety and criticized the chief minister's call for citizens to arm themselves. Bora demanded the governor dismiss CM Sarma, alleging that mob violence is occurring under his watch, leading to a severe breakdown of law and order. He reiterated the Congress party's stance on the Assam Accord, which mandates the deportation of anyone entering Assam after March 25, 1971, while condemning the harassment of Indian citizens. The Congress leader also took aim at Sarma's policies, questioning his commitment to Assamese identity and nationalism. "How can someone who disregards the Assam Accord and enforces the CAA claim to love Assam?" Bora challenged, calling for immediate action to restore peace and order in the state.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Land illegally held by CM will be returned to the poor': Gaurav Gogoi in Assam
Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday said all the land "illegally" occupied by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his ministers will be redistributed among the poor people if the opposition party forms government in the state next year. Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi (ANI) After the Extended Executive Meeting of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee here, Gogoi in a press conference claimed that the people of the state are fed up with the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government. He announced that the Congress will implement reforms in both land and economic policy to support the people. "Land illegally held by the CM and ministers, acquired under the pretense of safeguarding land rights, will be redistributed to the poor through a decision in the very first cabinet meeting of the new Congress government," he added. He said that it is his duty to fulfill the declaration made by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi that the people of Assam will see CM Himanta Biswa Sarma behind the bars. Gogoi accused the BJP-led regime of targeting linguistic and religious minorities with injustice, and launching eviction drives against Bodos, Tiwas, Karbis, Rabhas, Misings and other communities under the guise of development. He also asserted that these series of evictions were carried out in violation of court orders. "Unlike the loot and injustice under the Himanta Biswa Sarma regime, Congress is preparing to bring a new government based on progressive land policies and economic development," Gogoi said. All India Congress Committee General Secretary (in-charge of Assam) Jitendra Singh said the people of Assam now seek change through elections. "They are yearning to be freed from the misrule of Himanta Biswa Sarma, which has become synonymous with authoritarianism and corruption. Today, not just in Assam but across the nation, every citizen, including children and women, bears a debt burden of ₹50,000 per head. "To rescue the country from this unstable economic condition, people are demanding change, and in Assam too, the Congress, under the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi, is preparing to form the next government by defeating Himanta Biswa Sarma in 2026," he added. Assembly elections in Assam for 126 seats are likely in March-April next year. The Extended Executive Meeting decided that starting in September, the Congress will intensify its organizational activities and begin a series of campaigns against BJP's alleged corruption. Gogoi also accused both the Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Biswa Sarma governments of deceiving people with false promises, having failed to implement the various reports and suggestions by different committees. He noted that the Extended Executive Meeting saw participation from representatives of various communities across Assam and included long deliberations on protecting the rights and interests of indigenous people. Following these discussions, economic and political resolutions were adopted. These include comprehensive proposals to reform the economy, rescue indebted Assam, create employment, and ensure inclusive and equitable development for all citizens. "Representatives of various communities have united with Congress, determined to fight the communal politics of BJP and RSS," Gogoi said. After adopting several resolutions, over 200 members from the Bodo, Karbi, Rabha and tea garden communities formally joined the Congress. Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi said, "The state is under the grip of a massive loan burden. The BJP government has rolled out dozens of schemes only to get votes in the election." The range schemes offering direct benefits into people's bank accounts are not helping the beneficiaries in increasing their earnings, he claimed. "On the other hand, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his close aides have created a parallel economy of syndicates, which collects ₹12,000 crore of cash every year," he alleged. Bordoloi said the Congress has passed an economic resolution for raising the income level of the people, especially those in rural areas. "We aim to increase the income levels of small traders and MSMEs, mainly in rural areas, by taking appropriate policies once we come to power. Solving the mammoth unemployment issue is also a part of the resolution," he added. Talking about the political resolution, Congress former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora said that the CM, his wife and family members, and his close aides have accumulated huge net worth. "They are now carrying out eviction drives everywhere, only to divert people's minds from real issues. The BJP government has evicted indigenous people from 55,000 bighas (over 18,100 acres) of land across Assam. We have taken a resolution to highlight these," he added.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Gaurav Gogoi at Idea Exchange: ‘Victims want to hear an honest admission of government's responsibility… Nehru is not to blame for Pahalgam'
Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha and Assam Congress President, on holding the government accountable in Parliament and their challenges in Assam's Assembly elections. The session was moderated by Manoj CG, Chief of National Political Bureau. Manoj CG: In Parliament, we saw the debate in both Houses on Operation Sindoor. What are the answers you didn't get from the government? Simple, who is responsible for Pahalgam? And, does this government have a sense of responsibility? We have not seen any form of responsibility — be it an apology to the people of India for failing them or a resignation, not even in the form of an admission. The kind of statement that the L-G Manoj Sinha made, what the Home Minister said in his one-hour speech and the Prime Minister in his two-hour speech about Pandit Nehru — Pandit Nehru did not cause Pahalgam. The UPA certainly did not cause Pahalgam and neither did the late Dr Manmohan Singh or Sonia ji. What people of India, the victims of Pahalgam and Poonch, needed to hear from their government was an honest admission of failure, an honest introspection on their responsibility and accountability which, I think, BJP in its hubris totally brushed over. Secondly, the military operation was different compared to the Balakot air strike. Here, as per our top military generals, we faced the Pakistani Air Force backed by Chinese technology and Turkish military technology. Therefore, the rules of engagement had changed between Balakot and Operation Sindoor. There has been admission by top military generals in various Indian public fora for the need for modernisation, for upgradation. Normally, we would have had this discussion in the previous budget session. When we'd asked for a discussion on the demand for grants for defence, it was denied. The government and the defence minister could have been far clearer on this. They are only preaching to their own hardcore base and blaming the decisions of past prime ministers for their failures in the present. Manoj CG: The LOP Rahul Gandhi asking the PM to show courage and call President Donald Trump a liar, comes at a time when India is negotiating a tough trade deal with the US. It's a complex process. Don't you think the Opposition should also factor that in and give the government that diplomatic space? What has the government achieved by adopting its present negotiating stance? They have not achieved condemnation from the international community on Pakistan. If you look at the 26/11 reactions from the world condemned and linked terrorism with Pakistan. But this time, you got a condemnation of terror from the world but nobody linked terror and Pakistan. Everybody asked India and Pakistan to exercise restraint. In a way, we got hyphenated again. Something that we managed to escape in the last two decades, that India and Pakistan are not on the same plane. Please de-hyphenate us, but the world hyphenated us. And talking about bilateral investment and trade with the US, the President (Trump) is hosting the brain behind Pakistan state-sponsored terrorism, which is the Pakistani armed forces. And the kind of language that the President is using is increasingly hostile. They said that they might invest in the crude oil production of Pakistan. So, what has this diplomacy achieved? What we are telling the government is to grow a spine. If you really want to practise the 56-inch diplomacy that you boast of, back up your hubris. The Opposition since the beginning has been supportive of the government on Pakistan and we are also telling them to stand up to President Trump, for the kind of insult to our Indian Air Forces. Manoj CG: A couple of days ago, the US President said the Indian economy is dead. Do you agree with this? We are in the middle of a bubble right now. I am in the Finance Standing Committee and I look at numbers closely, be it investment numbers, consumption, saving or purchasing numbers. And if it were not for the government, investing in highways where there is not enough traffic, investing in airports where flights cost Rs 15,000 – Rs16,000, for the government borrowing and spending, then our economy would not be firing at all. Our farmers are not productive, neither are small businesses or entrepreneurs. What the government has managed to do is give us new slogans and new milestones. Whatever happened to doubling farmers' income by 2022, what happened to the five trillion economy? All that they are doing is shifting the goal post. We must do a lot more. I mean, look at how many income taxpayers there are. A country of 140 crore, as close to 1.5 crore of income tax payers and 80 crore of people need subsidised ration. That's the state of the average Indian. The economy is not working for the average person, it is working for three-four companies who, by sharing proximity to the Prime Minister, are doing well. Manoj CG: In Assam, Congress had back-to-back defeats in 2016 and in 2021. Your party fared poorly in Lok Sabha and faced a resounding defeat in the recent Panchayat election. So how big is the challenge to revive the Congress? See, any election is a challenge, whether you are incumbent or in Opposition. It's a challenge for many reasons. First of all, the electoral system today is not fair. The Election Commission (EC) does not provide a level playing field. In 2023, we saw how biased and partisan the EC was in Assam, in the way it undertook delimitation. It completely obliterated the principles of delimitation where roughly each seat should have the same demography, same size of voters, they created some mega seats and created some very small seats. All of which to suit the voting pattern of the BJP. Now, the EC makes it so hard to even verify voter lists. In my case, as a new state president, we have eight months left. Our past election record has not been optimal, but do I sense that people are ready for a change? Absolutely yes, and it's up to us on how hard and smart we work. On Indo-US diplomacy | The kind of language that President Trump is using is increasingly hostile and combative. So, what has this diplomacy achieved? We are telling the government to grow a spine Rahul Sabharwal: In Assam, your chief minister has linked demolitions to demography. There hasn't been a pushback from the Congress, at least not in assembly debates. There is this sentiment that there is this massive demographic change that needs to be curbed. How do you counter that? And my second question is that while we have seen Mamata Banerjee being very vocal about migrants being targeted, Congress hasn't responded to that. So, two things. What the chief minister and the BJP are doing currently in Assam is politics. Thankfully, the people of Assam and India are wiser than Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. They made many promises to secure the rights of indigenous Assamese, not one has been fulfilled. The NRC (National Register of Citizens) was supposed to be the answer to their politics. That is incomplete. Clause 6 of the Assam Accord was supposed to be the answer to their fear mongering. They created a report which the Centre has not accepted even though Home Minister Amit Shah thumped his hand on the table saying 'Humne woh kiya jo Rajiv Gandhi nahi kar paaye'. Delimitation was the answer. But they keep talking about the same old things. If they really cared about forests, then they would have protected the forests from the various mafias that operate there. The stone mafia, the coal mafia, illegal quarries. People understand that this is a desperate attempt of a chief minister to cling to power because the minute the Congress party comes into power, he will have to face investigations. What people expect from us is that if we come to power, how are we going to work with local industries, with local entrepreneurs? How are we going to build up local artisans? How are we going to preserve and promote the culture of the various ethnic groups and tribal communities? That's what we are focusing on. As for the second question, which is linked to how people are being forced out. Remember, this time in 2021, what did Amit Shah say? He was teaching us chronology, NRC's chronology, CAA chronology. Come election, it's the same BJP rhetoric. Congress is trying hard to live up to people's expectations and continues to reinvent itself. But the BJP is still feeding voters the same diet of fear and hate. Vikas Pathak: The 2024 Lok Sabha elections were a big boost to the Congress. But after that, Haryana was a surprise, then Maharashtra and Delhi. What is the internal learning of the Congress from this? What we're doing right now is continuing to be disciplined to our goal of bringing about social justice. This was started early last year during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. We were talking about social reform through the caste census, through the Constitution being a living document and preserving its soul. We are also looking at the rights of people to vote fairly, to have their names on the voters list. No doubt the losses in Haryana and Maharashtra are a setback. If the time from 2014 to 2024 has taught us anything it is that we have faced these kinds of setbacks before and we know how to overcome them and move forward. In Parliament, we are demanding the updating of voter lists. People in Bihar have been forced to cough up money to get photocopies of birth certificates. The fundamental nature of elections is at stake. We are doing something important and hope that others also join in, this should be a project of the nation. Vikas Pathak: As a party that was the main vehicle of the freedom struggle, the Indian National Congress had leaders like Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi. Now, Narendra Modi, it seems, has successfully become the mainstream embodiment of Indian nationalism. Somehow, Congress is not being able to claw back. Can you reflect on that? Well, I disagree with your conclusion because then Mr Modi would have come back to power in 2024 with a thumping majority. They were projecting 'Char sau paar' and could not reach a majority on their own. I don't see Prime Minister Modi holding the same space, both inside Parliament and outside Parliament, in election rallies, the way he did in his first five years. Post-Covid, Indian thinking has changed. Prime Minister Modi is on a declining trend. I don't see him as the sole factor in Haryana or Maharashtra. I feel the Congress is really speaking to young voters right now. Rahul Gandhi, in his T-shirt and sandal avatar, the kind of content he is producing on social media and the kind of authenticity that he is presenting are far more relatable than the overt hubris of PM Modi. BJP's rhetoric is now stagnant and Congress is more vibrant. Priyanka ji brings another layer of freshness. Her speech in Parliament was so powerful because it spoke to the victims. It just shows how far removed Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi are. They didn't even mention the victims. They didn't even have the heart to say sorry that we failed, there was just no heart left. Asad Rehman: The government says there will be no discussion on the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) in Parliament. What is the Opposition's strategy going forward? To be fair to the government, they have not said that reason on the record officially. Asad Rehman: Kiren Rijiju said it (on August 1). Then, that's a clerical reason. The way voters in Bihar have to show up with various papers to get their name registered on the voters list, Mr Rijiju is just citing various historical papers to say that there can't be a discussion. It's absolutely false and he's misleading the public. Have we not discussed electoral bonds in Parliament? Have we not discussed the EC? There are many formats within the Parliament to have a discussion on an important topic without it being held under the ambit of a particular ministry. So if you want, if you have the courage, if you feel that sense of responsibility to the voter, to the right of the average voter, to know what's happening with their democracy, then Parliament allows you that space. On Operation Sindoor | Priyanka ji's speech in Parliament was powerful because it spoke to the victims (of Pahalgam). It shows how far-removed Amit Shah and Modi are, they didn't even say sorry that we failed Damini Nath: Does Assam have a problem of foreigners on the electoral roll? If not the SIR, is there a need to clean the electoral roll? We are all elected on the basis of this electoral roll. Prime Minister Modi is prime minister because of this. But by doing it in this manner, there are a lot of questions, the legitimacy of the exercise and its political timing. There are genuine concerns but laws exist for you to identify a Bangladeshi. You are in charge of the borders. All the laws are there, provided you want to fix the problem. If you don't want to fix the problem, then you will always come up with some new rhetoric. Deeptiman Tiwary: Your CM has been making certain allegations against you and your family. How do you respond to this? Even the home minister said so in the Parliament that I have been to Pakistan several times. Somebody has briefed him wrongly. I have been there once, before Modi ji had gone there to eat biryani, before Modi ji called (Nawaz) Sharif for his oath ceremony. This is at least 10-15 years ago. As I said, people are smarter. They think by targeting my wife, they will have some luck. They will soon realise that my wife is stronger than me. Lalmani Verma: Two days ago when there was a resolution in Parliament to extend the President's rule in Manipur, the Opposition asked for a fresh mandate. Do you think the ground situation is conducive to conducting fresh elections? This issue has several aspects. The first is the home minister's failure. He has been unsuccessful in safeguarding the country. He didn't do it in Uri, in Pulwama, Pahalgam or Manipur. This is his job, maintaining our internal security and he has been consistently unsuccessful. And he has never apologised for that. Second, in the Northeast particularly, through politics, we have been successful in maintaining harmony among different communities. Whether it is the insurgents or underground or communities who had taken up arms, we managed to bring peace through politics. But, this is what saddens me. The politics that was responsible for bringing peace at a crucial time is now dividing a state into two. The tension between two communities is so deep, the wounds are so deep, that it will take at least years to heal. But does that mean we can't have a stable government there? Does that mean there can't be elections there? Not at all. Didn't we have the Lok Sabha elections there? Everything is possible if you have the right political will. From how many states will you snatch away the rights? Ladakh is UT, J&K is UT and here too there isn't a government elected by people. So there are several legitimate questions related to Manipur. Manipur is a big blot on PM Modi's career.
Malaysia Sun
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysia Sun
Assam: Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi arrive in Guwahati for party's PAC meet; Gogoi says Congress will fight for justice for people
Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 16 (ANI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning arrived in Guwahati ahead of the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting. They were received by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi at the Guwahati airport. Both leaders will also attend the meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office bearers, MPs, and MLAs, as well as the Congress Workers' meeting. Speaking to ANI, Gogoi asserted that Congress in Assam will fight for justice for all people who were living under 'a regime of fear and terror' and were facing persecution by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government here. 'The message is very clear that the Congress party in Assam will fight for the justice of all the people of Assam who are living under a regime of fear and terror. We will fight for the dignity of all people who are currently facing persecution by this corrupt and cruel BJP government. Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi will send a message that there is no need to fear,' Gogoi said. Accusing the Himanta Biswa Sarma government of 'grabbing land of the poor', the Assam Congress president claimed that the Chief Minister has donated close to 17,000 acres of land to industrialists from outside without consulting the locals. 'The CM and his colleagues are grabbing the land of the poor people. The CM of Assam is acting like a real estate broker and has donated close to 17,000 acres of land to outside industrialists without taking the local people into confidence. They are displacing the tribals, minorities, and the Congress party will fight for the self-respect, dignity and land rights of people of Assam,' Gogoi added. Earlier on Tuesday, Sarma informed that a total of 1,19,548 bighas of land have been freed from encroachers in the ongoing eviction drive in the state. The Assam CM said, 'After we formed the government, so far 84,743 bighas of land in forest and national park areas have been freed from encroachers. A total of 1,19,548 bighas of land have been freed from encroachers.' He also accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) of portraying his government's firm stance against illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi Muslims as anti-Bengali. He said the alleged attempt is nothing but a desperate ploy to shield Muslim infiltrators from the neighbouring country. (ANI)
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘J&K downgrade without precedent': Rahul, Kharge push for statehood in Monsoon Session; demand 6th schedule status for Ladakh
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi with other Assam Congress leaders (Image credit: PTI) NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. In a joint letter, they described the demand as a "legitimate" and "constitutional" aspiration of the people. 'This demand is both legitimate and firmly grounded in their constitutional and democratic rights. It is important to recognise that while there have been instances of Union Territories being granted statehood in the past, the case of Jammu and Kashmir is without precedent in independent India. This is the first time a full-fledged state has been downgraded to a Union Territory following its bifurcation," the letter read. The Congress leaders reminded the Prime Minister of his repeated promises to restore statehood, including public statements made in Bhubaneswar in May 2024 and at a rally in Srinagar in September the same year. The letter also referred to the government's assurances before the Supreme Court during hearings on Article 370, in which it pledged to reinstate statehood 'at the earliest and as soon as possible.' In addition to demanding legislation for Jammu and Kashmir, the letter urged the Centre to bring forward a bill to include Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. 'This would be a significant step towards addressing the cultural, developmental, and political aspirations of the people of Ladakh, while safeguarding their rights, land, and identity,' it stated. The letter comes ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament , which begins July 21.
