BJP Paid People Rs 200-300 to Attend 'Peace Rally', Says AASU

Jagiroad, December 28, 2019:

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lured innocent people from the hinterland of Assam to attend the 'peace and progress march' in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Jagiroad town of Assam, alleged the town’s All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) wing.

Amid the widespread protests against the CAA across the state and the country, the BJP had organised a peace rally, supporting the new legislation, in Jagiroad town of Morigaon district on Friday. Simultaneously, a CAA protest rally was also held by the AASU and 30 other organisations in the town, to oppose the Bill-turned-Act.

ALSO READ: Government Ignoring and Isolating Bodos as Tribals, Laments ABSU Leader Pramod Boro

The AASU unit of Jagiroad accused the BJP of bringing people to the 'peace rally' with threats. “Today, the BJP had organised a peace rally in Jagiroad, but was there any need? Also, the people of Jagiroad should have been there in the peace rally instead of outsiders", the AASU said.

The post questioned the intentions of the BJP by bringing in outsiders to the peace rally. “There was no need to bring in innocent people from the remote villages under threats of stripping their jobs and ration cards,” the AASU wrote on Facebook.

The AASU further alleged that the people present at the rally were paid Rs. 200-300 as 'wages' to attend the rally.

ALSO READ: Nagaland’s Zunheboto Receives Season’s First Snowfall

The Jagiroad arm of the AASU further lashed out at the Assam state government for “misleading the people” and stated, “The fault is ours because we voted for the same Congress people. The people who joined the peace rally did not even know where and why they came to the rally. They were speaking against the CAA. They said that they don’t need CAA. This is what BJP’s character is.”

One of the persons who joined the BJP Peace rally in Jagiroad said that he was a laborer and he was paid Rs. 250 as 'wage' to attend the function. Another grandmother said that she did not know much about the rally and just happened to be there.

ALSO READ: Sikkim: Over 1000 Tourists Stranded due to Snowfall Rescued by Army Jawans

It may be mentioned here that the BJP rally had witnessed a huge footfall in Jagiroad, which was dubbed as the “biggest peace rally” in the state.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took to his Twitter handle and shared, “People of Assam want peace and progress. Massive turnout in the peace rally at Jagiroad proved this once again. My heartfelt thanks to the people for their continued faith in us. Sought their blessings and cooperation to continue the development journey of our state.”

National General Secretary of BJP BL Santosh also posted, “Peace & progress March in support of #CAA in #Jagiroad , Assam ... @himantabiswa addressing the crowd ... For some media houses 50 hoodlums protesting in fromnt of UP Bhavan is big news ... #IndiaSupportsCAA”

While the peace rally was led by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Finance & Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, State BJP President Ranjit Dass and other BJP leaders, the protest rally was attended by veteran journalist Adip Kumar Phukan, Axom Unnati Xabha President Atanu Sarma, All Tiwa Women Association president Pratibha Deoraja, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) Morigaon district President Dilip Mazumder, Sitaram Deuri, senior citizen Munin Borthakur, among others.

To this, the Jagiroad AASU said that the BJP leaders were aware of the fact that no intellectual from Assam would come out in their support and CAA.

Support Inside Northeast (InsideNE), an independent media platform that focuses on Citizen-centric stories from Northeast India that are surprising, inspiring, cinematic and emotionally relevant.