Akhil Gogoi demands Jayanta Mallabaruah's ouster from Assam Cabinet, slams minister for disrespecting journalists

Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi slammed Assam government, targeting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and tourism minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, over the recent allegations of scams.

In a strong rebuke, Gogoi accused Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah of being entangled in corruption during the previous Congress regime. “He himself has admitted to involvement in scams. He must be dismissed from the Cabinet and put behind bars,” Gogoi stated, adding that several ministers across regimes—both Congress and BJP—have continued to operate syndicates and misappropriate public funds. He further questioned why the Chief Minister has failed to act on such alleged malpractices.

Expressing dismay over recent remarks made by Chief Minister Sarma regarding the journalists, Gogoi said, “Reporters do not cover stories for Rs 100, they carry the weight of local truth. The Chief Minister has insulted the entire journalist community.” Drawing parallels, Gogoi accused Minister Baruah of a similar lack of respect and called on the Chief Minister to issue a public apology to journalists across Assam.

Turning attention to his own constituency, Gogoi demanded Rs 20 lakh compensation for each family affected by the ongoing operations of ONGC in Bhotiyapara, Sivasagar. “For years, my people have borne the burden of pollution, displacement, and suffering. The time for compensation is now,” he said.

Gogoi lambasted the government’s alleged bias toward corporate giants. “Industrialists like Adani and Ambani are showered with subsidies while the poor are abandoned. Be it BJP or Congress, corruption continues under new banners. The system remains rigged against the common man,” he charged.

Regarding the 2026 elections, Gogoi emphasized that alliance discussions must remain private and strategic. “These decisions should be finalized behind closed doors. Political maturity demands discretion,” he said, signaling a need for thoughtful opposition unity.

Gogoi also questioned the timing and intention behind Chief Minister Sarma’s recently launched book, Emergency Diaries. “While he reflects on past emergencies, he fails to acknowledge the emergency-like oppression people are experiencing today—religious polarization, systemic corruption, and silencing of dissent,” Gogoi asserted.

Gogoi criticized the Chief Minister's recent suggestion to remove 'Socialist' and 'Secular' from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. “Such a move is a direct threat to the core values of our republic. The BJP and RSS are steering India toward a religious state—this is dangerous. Our Constitution ensures justice and equality for all. We will not allow India to be turned into another Pakistan or Afghanistan,” he said.

Gogoi urged the BJP-led government to uphold the Constitution, respect journalists, compensate the affected, and govern in favor of the people, not the powerful. “Accountability must replace arrogance. Secularism must outshine sectarianism,” he concluded.