Congress Begins Statewide Drive to Publicise Chargesheet Against BJP Government in Assam

Guwahati: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has launched an aggressive statewide campaign following the release of what it describes as documentary evidence detailing alleged corruption and maladministration by the BJP government in Assam.

APCC President Gaurav Gogoi has taken a lead role in ensuring that the allegations are placed before the people, with the party beginning district-wise dissemination of its chargesheet from today.

On February 19, Congress General Secretary and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra formally released the Pradesh Congress chargesheet along with documents alleging corruption involving Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Congress has announced that the contents of the document will be publicised across all districts in the coming days.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, APCC Mahila Congress President Mira Borthakur, Media Department Chairman Bedabrat Bora, and Manifesto Committee member Geetali Das launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government, accusing it of imposing what they termed a “five-year stranglehold” on the people of Assam. They asserted that the people would not find relief unless the present government is removed from power.

Borthakur accused the government of running a “syndicate raj” under official patronage, alleging that illegal activities such as rat-hole mining and large-scale illicit trade in timber, sand, stone, coal, iron, Burmese supari, poultry, cattle, fish, eggs, spices, cigarettes, and other commodities were thriving through a commission-based checkpoint system. She further alleged the existence of an institutionalised commission network governing development projects, transfers, postings, and tenders, allegedly controlled by the Chief Minister, which she claimed had weakened the state’s governance structure.

She also alleged that the Chief Minister, ministers, and MLAs had accumulated illegal assets in their own and benami names, while the state continued to borrow heavily despite repeated observations by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Congress leader criticised the government for failing to grant ST status to six communities, neglecting the Assam Accord and Clause 6, and halting the NRC process. She alleged that a ₹1,600 crore scam had taken place in the name of the NRC and accused the government of suppressing free speech and weakening the media.

On eviction drives, Borthakur alleged that the government had pursued a selective “bulldozer policy” without proper notice, surveys, or rehabilitation, questioning the fate of those displaced. She claimed that many of the evicted were indigenous people affected by floods and erosion rather than illegal migrants. She also accused the government of misusing the Assam Police, citing encounter deaths since 2021 and stating that Assam ranks third nationally in UAPA cases. She alleged restrictions on peaceful protests and obstruction during Rahul Gandhi’s yatra.

Environmental degradation was another key issue raised at the press conference. Borthakur alleged large-scale deforestation, illegal mining in ecologically sensitive areas such as Dehing Patkai, and damage to wetlands including Deepor Beel and the Bharalu river. She claimed that 11 of India’s 50 most polluted cities are in Assam, calling it a failure of governance. She also accused the government of irregularities in urban drainage projects in Guwahati, Nagaon, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat, including inflated procurement of machinery.

Highlighting the youth and social sector crisis, Borthakur alleged that the government had downplayed the drug problem while expanding liquor outlets, stating that lakhs of youths were affected by substance abuse. She questioned whether financial assistance schemes could address the crisis. She further claimed that unemployment had crossed 6.7 per cent, over 9,000 schools had been closed, maternal and infant mortality rates had increased, and basic healthcare delivery had deteriorated. She also accused the government of failing to deliver on the promise of five lakh jobs and imposing heavy taxation on the public.

Reacting to Bhupen Kumar Borah joining the BJP, Borthakur described the move as political opportunism, alleging that he had long acted against the Congress and leaked internal information to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. She claimed he would soon become politically irrelevant and criticised his repeated references to religion in politics, stating that faith is a personal matter and should not be exploited publicly. She also alleged that he had broken an oath taken at Maa Kamakhya and Bordowa Than not to join the BJP.

APCC Media Department Chairman Bedabrat Bora questioned why the Biplab Sharma Commission report on Clause 6 implementation had not been forwarded to the Central Government despite assurances by the Union Home Minister. He accused the government of betraying six communities and tea garden workers and demanded transparency on promised land pattas for tea tribes.

Similar press conferences were held in Jorhat by MLA Bhaskarjyoti Baruah and APCC Secretary Abinash Gogoi, while further briefings are scheduled in Sonitpur, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Silchar, and Mangaldoi as the Congress intensifies its campaign to expose what it calls systemic corruption and authoritarian governance in Assam.

Also Read: Congress Releases ‘People’s Charge Sheet’ Against BJP Government in Assam