“Vote Theft, Land Loot, Cattle Smuggling”: Gaurav Gogoi Launches Scathing Broadside Against Himanta Govt

Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday asserted that the Congress is certain to form the government in Assam this time, declaring that “a decisive battle will be fought in Barak Valley.”

Addressing a regional Congress meeting held in Cachar district of Barak Valley, Gogoi invoked the legacy of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, saying the people of Barak are remembering his contributions today. He recalled that Tarun Gogoi had repeatedly visited the region, engaged closely with the people, and planned development with inclusivity. He had advocated for granting sub-divisional status to Katigorah Mouza and ensured political and social security for all communities, Gogoi said.

“Tarun Gogoi clearly stated that all those whose names were in the voters’ list till 2014 are Indian citizens. He wanted representatives from Barak Valley to gain political power and always sought guidance from senior leaders like Santosh Mohan Dev and Ajit Singh,” Gogoi noted.

Criticising the present BJP government, Gogoi alleged that since Himanta Biswa Sarma became Chief Minister, Barak Valley has seen no real development. “Barak is no longer a valley of development; it has turned into a valley of syndicates,” he said. He accused the government of ignoring key issues such as honouring language martyrs, improving rail connectivity, upgrading national highways, and strengthening healthcare infrastructure.

“There are no doctors in government hospitals, government schools in tea garden areas are being shut down, yet the Chief Minister has no concern for these problems,” Gogoi alleged.

He further accused the Chief Minister of being preoccupied with facilitating the inflow of areca nut into Assam via Barak Valley.

Launching a sharp attack, Gogoi claimed that the Chief Minister himself had publicly admitted to vote theft.

“The people of Assam have seen that this is a party of thieves and robbers. This government has not only stolen votes but also cattle from indigenous people in Upper Assam, land from Bodo, Rabha and Karbi communities, votes from religious minorities, and even water from tea garden areas,” he alleged.

Referring to the Jal Jeevan Mission, Gogoi said that people in tea garden areas now say,

“There are taps, but no water,” alleging corruption and misuse of funds.

Raising questions on governance, Gogoi asked whether the BJP government had resolved issues related to D-voters, NRC, or ration distribution. He pointed out that Bengali voters did not support the BJP in the recent BTC elections, stating that people in Kokrajhar and other areas are unhappy with the Chief Minister.

Gogoi accused Himanta Biswa Sarma of attempting to brand Bengali people in Assam as “Bangladeshis” despite their generations-long presence in the state.

“It is shameful that families who have lived here for generations, built homes, and educated their children are being tagged as Bangladeshis,” he said.

Condemning recent incidents, Gogoi criticised the BJP for filing a case against a person in Karimganj for singing Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’.

“The BJP does not understand Bengali language or culture. They do not know history. ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ was written by Rabindranath Tagore during the nationalist movement against British rule,” he said.

He also accused the BJP of falsely claiming ownership over patriotic symbols like ‘Vande Mataram’.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to mention that Rabindranath Tagore first sang ‘Vande Mataram’ at a Calcutta Congress session in the year 1896. It was a slogan of resistance against British oppression,” Gogoi stated, alleging that the BJP’s ideological predecessors had no role in the freedom struggle.

Making serious allegations of corruption, Gogoi claimed that only one family has prospered since the BJP came to power—the family of the Chief Minister.

“His wife owns tea gardens and land across Assam, and his son is linked to 18 companies. There is no district in Assam where land has not been purchased in his wife’s name,” he alleged.

Gogoi announced that the Congress would soon launch a website detailing land purchases made by the Chief Minister’s family.

“When a Congress government comes to power, this land will be reclaimed and distributed among the poor,” he said.

He accused the Chief Minister of mocking religious minorities and practising divisive politics.

“We take pride in Assam’s harmony. We follow the ideals of Swami Vivekananda and Subhas Chandra Bose, not politics of fear,” he said, questioning how the Chief Minister could project himself as a Hindu leader while allegedly allowing cattle syndicates to operate under his ministers.

Calling Himanta Biswa Sarma a “fear-driven and opportunistic politician,” Gogoi said he has switched parties whenever he faced trouble. “He believes he can escape jail by switching sides again, but we make it clear—Congress will never accept him back,” he asserted.

Gogoi further alleged that the BJP government has failed to uplift the people and instead empowered syndicates. He predicted a political “tsunami” starting from Upper Assam that would sweep through Lower Assam and reach Barak Valley.

He said Congress workers in Barak have already begun wall-writing campaigns and promised that a Congress government would resolve NRC-related issues and restore political representation lost due to the reduction of Assembly seats in Barak Valley.

“People are no longer afraid of BJP’s thieves and robbers. The people of Assam are standing up as the real police,” Gogoi said, adding that the Congress would act as the prosecutor.

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