Assam: Women Being Paid Rs 30 to Attend BJP Rally in Golaghat

Bokakhat, January 24, 2020:

Women in Golaghat district of Assam, who were being ferried to a BJP rally in Bokakhat town free-of-charge, reportedly refused to attend the rally after they found out that the place that they were being taken to was a 'Sankalpa Samaroh' by the ruling party. A women also lamented that her group was paid a meager sum of Rs 30 to attend the rally.

The women told the media that they had no idea that they were being taken to a BJP meeting, and when they found out, they refused to go there. Moreover, they were promised food and a 'payment' of Rs. 30 by organizers of the rally.

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These women have also alleged that they were not aware that they were being taken to the  Assam BJP party's 'pro-CAA' rally. Many of these women who were lured to the rally on other pretexts, staged mini protests against the 'CAA' and alleged that they would not accept it at any cost.

"We did not go to a BJP meet...we thought we were heading to a self-help NGO meet, of which we are members. Ten of us here are members of the NGO...but now, after finding out that its a BJP meet, we will not go there. They did not promise anything....but promised that they would give us food, and transportation", said an NGO member. "They said they would pay us Rs. 30 and food and transportation. Tell us...what can Rs 30 buy nowadays?",

She also added that their group was taken to the rally venue forcibly by a car, and had at one point contemplated jumping out of the running vehicle. The woman further added that she vehemently opposes the CAA, seen as a threat to the cultural and linguistic identity of the State.

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Another woman, who was reportedly taken to the rally under false pretexts, said, "We have heard that there is a ruckus at the venue...we did not know that this is a BJP meeting. We were brought under the pretext that a Minister would come to an NGO meet. But then, after coming here, we realized it is a BJP meet.After all this, all I want to say is that I won't accept CAA, since they have sold out the identity of Assam".

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