Assembly Elections: Modi – Priyanka Exchange Barbs in Assam, Owaisi Attacks TMC in West Bengal

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Apr 1: The ruling BJP and the Congress, involved in a high-stake straight contest in the 126-member state Assembly in Assam scheduled on April 9, on Wednesday exchanged several barbs with “infiltrator versus mafia rule” dominating the proceedings.

While the Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Gogamukh in Dhemaji, accused the Grand Old Party of planning to bring a new law in Assam to “protect the infiltrators,” the Congress general secretary and MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi, who addressed a rally at Nazira, branded the ruling BJP of running a “mafia rule” in Assam and accused the incumbent Himanta Biswa Sarma government to be “most corrupt.”

The Congress leader also raised Zubeen Garg’s death and said seeking justice for a respected figure was a political duty rather than opportunism while Mr Modi made an infiltrator pitch and accused the Congress of being the “root cause of corruption.”

Modi alleged that the Congress, if it comes to power in Assam, would bring in a law to protect infiltrators and claimed that the Congress aimed to “turn the majority community into a minority and create a permanent vote bank of infiltrators.” “Congress leaders are openly saying that they will bring a new law in Assam to protect infiltrators and are openly supporting them,” Modi said.

“For the Congress, there are two families -one in Delhi and another in Assam, and their priority is the interest of their families and not that of the people,” the Prime Minister said, while referring to the Gandhi family and that of state Congress President Gaurav Gogoi. He said the Congress was “opposed to development and ‘bhrastachar ki janani’ (mother of corruption).” “They (Congress) have compromised with Assam’s ‘aatma’ (soul), ‘shaan’ (pride), ‘pehchan’ (identity) and ‘suraksha’ (security),” Modi alleged.

Priyanka Gandhi lambasted the Assam government and accused it of corruption and alleged the state government of operating under “mafia and syndicate rule.” The Congress leader said the people of Assam were tired of the BJP government and wanted the state to rise. “This is a corrupt Govt. People can see how everything is being done through threats. There is mafia rule, syndicate rule. I think people are tired…They want the same Assam to rise, which once existed. They want a new government that would only work towards serving people. People know that our leader is honest and they want to bring him forward,” Priyanka Gandhi said.

Speaking of famed singer Zubeen Garg, who died in a swimming incident, she said the Congress government, if elected to power, would provide justice to the Assamese singer. “The Congress government wants Zubeen Garg ji to get justice. Within 100 days, as soon as our government is formed, we will get him justice. Today, all local ‘Bhumiputras’ have received temporary land deeds. We will give permanent deeds instead of temporary ones to 10 lakh local sons of the soil,” she said.

In West Bengal, the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday alleged that the ruling TMC and other parties used Muslims of West Bengal for votes but did nothing for the community’s development. Mr Owaisi, while addressing a poll rally at Naoda in Murshidabad district in support of candidates of Humayun Kabir-led Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), also claimed that in the past 50 years, members of the Muslim community had voted for the Congress, Left Front and the TMC, but their condition did not improve.

“For the sake of Muslims in West Bengal getting greater representation in political decision-making, and for their true development, we have joined hands with Kabir. Together, we will give a jolt to Mamata Banerjee and her party,” he asserted. “The time has come to elect leaders from the Muslim community, who can ensure your economic development,” Mr Owaisi said.

“Muslims form about 30% of the population here. But how many Muslims are in state government jobs? Around seven per cent. The time has come to stop the exploitation of Muslims. To ensure that, elect leaders from yourselves who can only ensure our economic development while following the secular, inclusive spirit of India which is being violated by both BJP and TMC,” he told a large gathering.

Meanwhile, violence broke out at the West Bengal Pradesh Congress headquarters in Kolkata on Wednesday during protests over candidate selection for the Assembly elections, leaving at least one party worker injured, police said. It all started after agitated party workers staged a demonstration demanding the cancellation of “outsider” candidates, which soon escalated into clashes between rival factions.

Their main grievance centred around the nomination of Rohan Mitra, son of former party president Somen Mitra, from Ballygunge Assembly constituency. The protestors claimed that Zayed Hossain had earlier been assured the ticket for the seat, but was later denied. The agitating workers also alleged that the state Congress leadership had “sold tickets” for the Assembly elections, even as posters carrying the charge were put up at the party headquarters.