Assam CM Sonowal & Himanta Biswa part of illegal coal trade nexus, claims AJP chief

MARGHERITA: Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurin Jyoti Gogoi today accused the ruling dispensation of being a part of the illegal coal business in Assam and claimed that BJP leaders -- including CM Sarbananda Sonowal and his right-hand man Himanta Biswa Sarma -- were benefitting from the business.

"In the year 2017, the NEC received Rs 67 crore. But ever since then, the NEC has been suffering from huge loss due to only one man - Margherita BJP MLA Bhaskar Sharma -- each truck loaded with illegal coal has pay Rs 38,000 to Rs 40,000 which goes to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Cabinet Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sharma."

"The BJP led Government both at the Centre and State is exploiting, cheating and depriving our people in the name of development. After the draconian Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 has been forcefully enacted, the historic Assam Accord shall be useless", he said today in Margherita, adding that the BJP-led government is conspiring to turn Assam into a "communal state."

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AJP President Lurin Jyoti Gogoi said that Assam is a Land of Cholung Sukafa, Srimanta Sankardev and Ajaan Pir Phakir where more people of all communities have been living in harmony. "However, the coming of the BJP party has posed a major threat to the secular fabric of Assam," he said.

The AJP held its first political meeting at the North Margherita Rangamancha which saw a turnout of around 10,000 people.

Earlier, more than 1,000 bikers accorded a grand welcome to Lurin Jyoti Gogoi, General Secretary Jagadish Bhuyan, State Secretary Sanjay Kumar Deb, Vice President Rana Changmai, among others. The AJP leaders participated in a motorcycle rally that began from the Patkai stadium and concluded at North Margherita Rangamancha.

After the meeting, a joining program was held at Buridehing Mauza under 124 Number Margherita Constituency where more than 100 people from all walks of life joined the AJP under the presidentship of AJP President Lurin Jyoti Gogoi.