Assam Tea Workers Await Promises as Modi Visits

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Assam to attend cultural events and an investment summit, the Assam Jatiya Parishad has posed 17 questions to the BJP. The party seeks clarity on wage hikes for tea workers and delayed ST status for indigenous communities, among other issues, accusing the BJP of broken promises.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Assam has sparked a set of pointed questions from the opposition party, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP). Ahead of Modi's attendance at a Jhumoir dance recital showcasing the tea tribe community, the AJP demanded answers on unfulfilled BJP promises, particularly regarding wage increases for tea garden workers.

The BJP promised to raise the daily wage of tea workers in its 2016 Vision Document, yet disparities continue. Workers in the Brahmaputra Valley earn Rs 250, and those in the Barak Valley Rs 228, falling short of the promised Rs 351.33. The AJP questioned this discrepancy, especially as Modi acknowledged wage insufficiencies during previous speeches.

Further concerns were raised in light of new legislation allowing commercial use of tea garden land, threatening job security. The AJP also queried the delay in granting Scheduled Tribe status to six indigenous communities and asked about pending corruption investigations involving Assam's CM. As Modi prepares to inaugurate the Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit, the AJP highlights these issues as evidence of the BJP's unfulfilled commitments to Assam.

(With inputs from agencies.)