Congress grills PM Modi: "Is he aware of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s alleged wrongdoings?"

Congress in-charge Jitendra Singh Alwar posed several direct questions to the Prime Minister, alleging that tea estate owners in Assam are being intimidated while the Chief Minister’s associates and family members are buying out tea gardens. 

Congress further claimed that big corporate entities that once operated tea plantations in the state have left, paving the way for the commercialization of tea estates under Sarma’s administration.

In addition, Congress raised concerns about the Vani Green Resort, allegedly run by Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife in an elephant corridor, questioning whether the necessary environmental and legal permissions were secured before its establishment. "What magic lamp did Narendra Modi give to the Chief Minister of Assam, that Himanta Biswa Sarma has now become a business tycoon?" asked Jitendra Singh Alwar. The Congress leader further accused the Chief Minister of amassing significant assets, including tea estates, news portals, McDonald's outlets, international schools, and vast tracts of land, even in protected tribal regions such as Majuli, Kamrup, Guwahati, Nagaon, and Golaghat, where private acquisitions are restricted.

The allegations did not stop there. Congress also accused Sarma’s government of permitting illegal rat-hole mining, despite a nationwide ban on the practice. The party demanded an inquiry into whether the CM’s associates or cabinet members were directly benefiting from the mining operations. "While the BJP government claims 'Modi ji's support, Himanta's development,' the reality is that corruption and exploitation are flourishing under its rule," remarked Alwar.

Adding to the criticism, BJP leader Pawan Khera took aim at the ruling party, accusing them of using law enforcement and the administrative machinery to silence opposition voices. "Those who think they can intimidate Congress with police and state power are mistaken. We will continue to question the government every day and won’t let the BJP rest until the elections are over," Khera declared.

Meanwhile, the Assam Tribal Students Organization also raised pressing concerns, reminding PM Modi of unfulfilled promises made during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. They highlighted that despite Modi’s pledge to increase tea workers’ daily wages to Rs 351, their earnings remain between Rs 220 and Rs 250. The organization further criticized the government for failing to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six Assamese communities within 100 days, as promised. They also accused the government of failing to implement the Assam Accord in its true spirit, alleging that instead of deporting illegal immigrants, as per its initial commitment, the BJP government has accommodated them under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Congress leader Debabrata Saikia reinforced these claims, accusing the BJP of failing to tackle flood erosion, a critical issue in Assam. "Despite assurances that it would be declared a national problem and receive financial aid, the reality is that no substantial action has been taken," Saikia remarked. He further accused the government of widespread corruption, pointing out that despite PM Modi’s claims of fighting corruption, it remains rampant in Assam.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi further called BJP a "factory of slogans," where Narendra Modi is the factory head and Himanta Biswa Sarma the regional manager. Mocking Modi’s self-proclaimed asceticism, he remarked, "Modi calls himself a fakir (saint), yet those around him are continuously accumulating wealth and power."

The growing unrest in Assam was further highlighted by Assam Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah, who decried the state’s deteriorating law and order situation. Recalling a recent attack on him and Congress MP Rakibul Hussain, Borah alleged that "Jungle Raj" was emerging in the state under Sarma’s leadership. He further criticized the government for closing 1,600 government schools in the last three years while allowing an unchecked rise in liquor shops, claiming Assam now has the highest number of liquor stores in the country. Additionally, he accused the government of taking loans worth Rs 2,000 crore per month, allegedly for personal luxuries and not for public welfare.

With elections approaching, the battle between Congress and BJP in Assam has intensified, and the opposition appears determined to keep up the pressure, ensuring that these allegations remain at the forefront of political discourse. Whether PM Modi or CM Himanta Biswa Sarma address these concerns remains to be seen.