Assam Congress stages statewide protests against fuel price hike

GUWAHATI: Assam Pradesh Congress staged statewide protests against a hike in fuel prices including essential commodities.

As per the directive of APCC President Bhupen Kumar, Borah the protest was successfully organised in all the districts by the various District Congress Committees.

A pamphlet of Public Appeal by APCC President and ACLP Leader Debabrata Saikia was also distributed containing five major failures of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

Bobbeeta Sharma, Chairperson Media Department of APCC said, " You are aware that due to the visionless and irresponsible leadership of the BJP government we have been pushed to a state of deep crisis and distress. As the main opposition party, we are duty-bound to be the voice of the people and lay before you certain facts."

The following facts are --

1. BJP came to power in the Centre and in the state promising ‘acchhe din’ (better days) and ‘change’. But the promise of approaching good days still remains a distant dream as escalating prices of essential commodities like petrol, diesel, cooking gas and vegetables continue to hit people of all sections hard. Gas cylinder price has risen from Rs 400/- to almost Rs 1000/-, mustard oil price per litre from Rs 70/- to Rs 200/-, petrol price per litre from Rs 60/- to Rs 100/- , Moong Dal per kg  from Rs 55/- to Rs 100/- and this price continues unabated.

With a soft heart for the trading community, the BJP- led government has utterly failed to rein in the skyrocketing prices.  Unscrupulous traders, middlemen, and syndicates running with Government blessings are the main reasons for the price rise.

The total disregard for the lives and livelihoods of the general populace has become a pattern for the government and the leadership of the ruling party and their behaviour reflects the lack of responsibility towards the people.

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2. In a country that got independence from the slavery of the British guided by the political ideology of immense sacrifice and commitment of selfless service towards the country, today that political landscape stands sullied by a section of people without the ideology of values, which has turned the outlook of some people into that of buyers and sellers.

Taking advantage of loopholes in the anti-defection laws, despite a majority in the government, there is an ongoing conspiracy to weaken opposition parties by inducing their duly- elected public representatives to defect.

For a healthy democracy, it is necessary for opposition parties to point out the mistakes of the government and engage in constructive criticism, for the development of the state. But the BJP does not want this to happen and it is trying to weaken the opposition.

Moreover, a state reeling under loans is pushed time after time towards bye-elections, spending precious treasury money, and creating a dangerous tradition.

This has to be strictly controlled by the people otherwise the future generation will come to despise the political field.

The BJP government is trying to make the democratically-elected opposition powerless while embarking on an autocratic and corrupt rule - tendencies that should be defeated by the people.

3. It is a matter of deep shame and indignation for the people of Assam who have always held women in high esteem socially that, in the last 3 years cases of crimes against women in the state are the highest in the country and it has continued to claim the top spot in such cases. It is observed that the message from the top to be strict on crimes against women has not been strong enough and the Government has failed to ensure the protection of women in Assam. A society can be called safe only when its women are safe and for this to happen, awareness among the public to demand such assurance is imperative.

4. Due to the BJP leadership’s immaturity and inability to comprehend any impending situation, there is conflict among the seven sister states comprising the greater Assamese community. Not only has Assam’s relationship with neighbouring states deteriorated greatly, but the people living in international border areas are also suffering mentally in an atmosphere of insecurity and disbelief.

5. The BJP and alliance leaders had shouted themselves hoarse while campaigning for the elections, delivering promises about – increasing tea workers’ daily wage to Rs 351/-, raising the amount of Orunudoi scheme to Rs 3000/-, providing 30 units of free electricity, providing 5 lakh jobs annually, etc. But in reality not a single promise has been kept so far. We have not even seen the simple desire to keep such promises.

The decision by the finance department to stop all kinds of employment has left our youths to face an uncertain future.

Bobbeeta Sharma further said that instead of putting the people's support and blessings to good use, the BJP led alliance's leaders think that the people have given them an open mandate to rule, making them arrogant and tyrannical.

The BJP alliance leadership demonstrates apathy and disregard for the people. The people should unite in their opposition to the ruling party's tendency to disparage democracy and hold the Constitution and the role of the opposition in contempt, she added.

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