BJP trying to destroy Assamese identity through CAA, Hindutva politics: Congress

The Congress on Sunday allegedthat the BJP's agenda is to destroy Assamese identity throughthe Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Hindutva politics.

Senior Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi said that theblatant violation of the Assam Accord by imposing CAA speaksvolumes about the saffron party's attitude towards theAssamese language and culture.

''The BJP's claim of safeguarding Assamese language andculture by giving awards to renowned personalities is aneyewash to hide its agenda of destroying Assamese identitythrough CAA and Hindutva politics,'' the Nagaon MP toldreporters.

He alleged that the BJP was attempting to renameschools and colleges in the state after RSS leaders such asDeen Dayal Upadhaya and not Assamese freedom fighters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the BJP hasensured peace and stability in Assam by curbing insurgency ishogwash as it is well-known that the Congress government iscredited with the surrender and rehabilitation of several ULFAleaders and bringing peace to the state.

''It is evident from Assam's growth chart from 2006-2016 that the Congress had effectively curbed insurgency inthe state with stability and development being reflected inthe GDP growth from 1.75 per cent in 2001 to 6.68 per cent in2013-14,'' he said.

Bordoloi alleged that 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' in realityis only aimed at promoting business for people from Gujaratand other parts of the country and there is no scope forAssamese entrepreneurs in the state.

He said that the construction of the Bogibeel Bridge,inaugurated by Modi in 2018, had started in 2011 during theCongress rule though it was launched by former prime ministerAtal Behari Vajpayee in 2002.

''Work on the construction of the bridge had not beguntill the then chief minister Tarun Gogoi pushed for it and 95per cent of the work was completed by 2016 when the BJP cameto power in the state,'' he said.

The BJP has also failed to keep its promise ofgranting Scheduled Tribe status to six major tribes even afterrepeatedly promising it, Bordoloi said.

He alleged that the ruling party's claim that Assamand the Northeast have got due attention from the Centre andmade unprecedented progress in the last six years was far fromthe truth.

The North East Industrial and Investment PromotionPolicy and special status for the northeastern states werescrapped while grants-in-aid to Assam have been decreasingsince 2016 even though the BJP is in power in the state andthe Centre, Bordoloi said.

Women have never been so insecure in Assam and thestate has ranked number one in crimes against women for thethird consecutive year while one in seven women face gender-based violence every day, he said.

The prime minister, after distributing land 'pattas'to Assamese people, had asserted on Saturday that the BJP-ledgovernment is committed to protecting the land, language andculture of the indigenous people.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)