December 12, 2024 21:37 (IST)
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Demonstration at national capital for interests of people of Assam: Gogoi
Guwahati, Dec 17 (IBNS): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday said that the state has lost to the tune of Rs. 9000 crore approximately for withdrawal of special category status.
“When rallying for the rights of the people of the North East in the premises of the Parliament House appears to be a farce to a BJP leader then he should clarify what one should do to impress upon the Centre to concede to the long pending demands that shape the fortune of the people of the region,” Gogoi asked.
Reacting to a reported news item that appeared on a section of media where a BJP leader termed the demonstration by the CM and other Congress MPs and ex-MPs a travesty, Gogoi said citing that even after repeated requests and submission of memorandum when the Centre did not pay any heed to the demands of the State ‘we’ had to resort to a demonstration.
Gogoi, moreover, termed the statement of the BJP as ridiculous and said that the statement has exposed the so called love that the BJP has for the people of Assam.
In a statement, the Assam CM said that he along with other MPs staged a demonstration to press for the seven-point charter of demands viz. restoration of Special Category Status, revive NEIIPP, restoration of earlier funding patterns, ST status to six communities, restoration of backward region grant fund, grant for flood and erosion mitigation and payment of oil royalty.
Gogoi said that the life line of the people of Assam to a great extent associated with these demands and he had to resort to demonstration in the National Capital for the interests of Assam and its people.
Giving a backgrounder to the demands, Gogoi said taking into cognizance of the special geographical and economic characteristics of Assam, the National Development Council has accorded special Category Status to Assam in 1969 and entitled it (Assam) to Special Economic incentives.
However, the BJP led NDA government has withdrawn the status to Assam thereby serving a blow to the equitable and balanced development of the State.
As a result of the withdrawal of Special Category Status, the State is reortedly deprived of extra funds that could have been used to developmental activities and generating employment avenues.
Unfortunately the NDA Minister representing Assam and other MPs did not seem to be interested in pursuing the matter with the Centre and put the matter at the back burner, reports said.
“This lackadaisical attitude of the BJP exposes the counterfeit love that is has for the people of Assam," Gogoi said adding that "when we took up the matter at the national landscape to expose the shoddy treatment meted out to the people of the North East, the BJP leader has termed it as farce, thereby exposing its indifferent attitude and shows that it is interested in mudslinging politics and not the solution of the problem of the people of Assam."
The Assam CM said that after the demonstration he even met the Prime Minister to impress upon him to fulfill the seven point demands of the people.
“Will it also be termed as farce as it was done in the case of demonstration in the National Capital,” Gogoi asked.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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