Double-engine Assam govt turned out to be double-CM govt: Cong

GUWAHATI: The Congress today branded the BJP government in Assam as “double-CM government” instead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “double-engine government”.

In a statement issued by All India Congress Committee spokesman Prof Gourav Vallabh, the Congress alleged that the BJP government has grossly mismanaged the social, economic and public governance in the state. The statement was also signed by Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) media cell chairperson Bobbeeta Sharma.

“While the BJP has been boasting of close co-ordination between the central and the state governments over the development efforts in Assam, the reality is completely different. The so-called double-engine government turned out to be double-CM government with both moving in opposite directions. The development of Assam ended up going nowhere. The Centre and state have been incapable, incompetent and indifferent towards the plight of the Assamese people and all efforts have only been directed towards photo-ops,” the statement said.

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“What started as a vision document full of promises that they were never committed to fulfill, their leaders have over the last few weeks, resorted to lies and deceit to whitewash their actions of misgovernance and paint a fair picture of their inactions … They have throughout the last 5 years used communal divide as a tool to polarize the voters of Assam … The BJP has been working overtime to destroy the social fabric of Assam,” the statement added.

In the statement, the Congress leaders branded the North East Industrial Development Scheme as “shoddy” and said: “As per the 227th Report of the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, only 33 paise per capita was allocated for Assam in 2019-20 (Rs.1 crore in total) under the North East Industrial Development Scheme and during 2019, Assam accounted for only 0.73 per cent of the large industrial units established in the country.”

“Out of 36 states and UTs (Union Territories) combined, Assam ranked 20^th in the Business Reform Action Plan Results 2019 indicating no concrete reforms was initiated by the Assam BJP government,” it added.

As far as employment generation is concerned, the Congress alleged that the unemployment rate in Assam in December 2020 was “7.6%, higher than the national unemployment rate of 6.5%”.

The grand old party has accused the BJP government of deceiving the people of Assam by laying foundation of healthcare institutions just ahead of the elections.

“NITI Aayog has recently released the India Innovation Index 2020. Out of 27 states and 9 UTs, Assam is ranked 29th. This speaks of the state's overall pathetic performance in education – especially higher education and research - science and technology sector, industrial and employment sector,” the statement further said.