Guwahati: The united opposition led by the Congress will stage a sit-in-demonstration at Dighalipukhuripar in Guwahati to protest against the Assam government’s decision to impose taxes and fees on various public events including Bihu.
“We will stage a sit-in protest at Dighalipukhuripar from 11.30 am onwards,” Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) spokesperson Bedabrata Borah said.
In a circular issued by the state home and political department on November 15, the state government revised the user charges, and service fees for availing the services that are focused on citizen-centric service delivery through the Assam Police Citizens Service Portal”, “Assam Police Sewa Setu” under the section 4 of the Assam Right to Public Services (Amendment) Act, 2019.
According to the circular, political rallies would entail a permission fee of Rs 2,000 while Rs 500 would be charged for clearance to organise street plays and awareness programmes or rallies.
“They impose fees on political meet, sports. If they enforce it, the citizens have no other option but to pay. But we will tell people to keep the money receipts. After swearing-in in 2026, our Congress government return the money to them so they can organise such events with that amount of money,” Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah said.
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“Is the government imposing this fee to compensate the cost of chartered flights of the chief minister? Is the chief minister providing much funds to the states where elections are going on? Does the government need more funds to return the debts for the construction of Vajpayee Bhawan,” Borah asked.
“The government has spent more than Rs 40 crore in pandals in the name of distribution of items to beneficiaries. Does the government need more funds for photo advertisements of the chief minister,” Borah also asked.
“This decision is anti-people, it violated the fundamental rights of the people. It is good for them to withdraw the circular,” Borah further said.
“We want the removal of three ‘H’ for healthy democracy. The first- ‘Hindu-Muslim politics of BJP, the second ‘Hitadhikaries (beneficiaries) and the third ‘Himanta’,” Borah added.
Reacting to the issue, the leader of the opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saaikia said: “This has violated the fundamental rights of the people. We have the right to protest. Those who are marginalized also have the right to protest.”
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Echoing a similar opinion, Assam TMC president and former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora said: “This action is condemnable. Now the government will use the police force for tax collection. The government is now bankrupt, the exchequer is empty. It is a desperate attempt by the government to increase revenue receipts. They are trying to violate the democratic rights of the people.”
Bora asked the chief minister to name this fee as “Amrit Fees’.
“I also urge all sections of the people across the state to raise their voices against it. I believe the people will reply to the government in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” he added.