Sonowal-led Assam government failed to protect Assam's Interest: Debabrata Saikia

Saikia said in a press statement today that the ULFA’s popularity had gradually  waned  during  the  decade-and-a-half  when  the  Congress  was  in power in the state, but the Narendra Modi-led Central government’s decision to   table   the   controversial   Bill   and   the   Sarbananda Sonowal-led   state government’s failure to mount a strong opposition to the proposed legislation are  inducing  a  section  of  young  boys  and  girls  to  take  up  arms  against  the State.  He  said  that  dwindling  employment  opportunities  and  stagnation  of development  activities  like  the  MGNREGA  are  also  creating  frustration  and resentment  among  many  youth,  who  are  gravitating  towards  the  ULFA (Independent) as a result.

Referring  the  all-round  failure  of  the  state  government,  the  Opposition leader  pointed  out  that  although  Sonowal  keeps talking  about  “zero tolerance of corruption”, yet the Chief Minister has only resorted to superficial whitewashing  and  has  been  unable  to  muster  the  courage  to  conduct  a  CBI inquiry into the widespread reports of several syndicates operating in the state to smuggle coal, stone, sand, ‘supari’ (dried arecanut) etc. Similarly, the Chief Minister  has  remained  a  helpless  spectator  to  the  woes  of  the  health  sector, including  serial  crib  deaths  in  the  medical  colleges-cum-hospitals  in  Barpeta and Jorhat and the supply of contaminated medicines by certain parties, a fact which the government admitted in the House.

Saikia  cautioned  that  Assam  will  slide  back  to  the  days  of  violence and lack of development if the government led by Sonowal does not pull up its socks.