Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday came down heavily on the ruling BJP and alleged that partial publication of draft NRC was an insult to the people of Assam. Addressing media persons at his Koinadhora residence Gogoi buttressed his claim citing non-inclusion of names of some legislators in the draft NRC.
He said his party wants solution to the foreigner problem as it was he who sought updating of the national register of citizens. He also pointed out that neither AASU, nor AGP sought updating of NRC. The former chief minister was of the opinion that there should have been one draft of the NRC not more. He also accused the government of not being serious with the NRC. “The BJP government has given more importance to update of NRC at Upper Assam but not to the areas of Lower Assam where the ration of foreigners is very high,” he said. He also claimed that the Congress had wanted to accord refugee status to the Hindu Bangladeshi but the BJP wanted to give them citizenship status.
In a significant remark former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said most of the names whose names are missing from the draft NRC are either Muslims or Hindu Bangladeshis.
Gogoi was critical of BJP’s weak governance and said the party’s only policy is to win elections at any cost without any principle. There development activities are confined to big banners and hoardings only, he said adding that people have lost faith on the BJP government.
The octogenarian Congress leader made it a point that during his rule the government continued with the developmental activities despite fund cruch. ‘The Brahmaputra guest house where Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stays was built during the Congress regime,’ he said.
Lambasting the BJP for destroying the social fabric of the country Gogoi said there is a similarity between the BJP and the AIUDF. ‘BJP does politics with Hindus and AIUDF with Muslims,’ he added.
Gogoi also exuded confidence that the Congress would perform better than the ruling BJP in the forthcoming panchayat polls.