‘Congress’ theme (for the march) is totally wrong’ says Assam CM Sarma

Firing a fresh salvo on Congress’s ongoing ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the country is already united and there is no need for Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Talking to the media Assam CM Sarma said, “The Congress’ theme (for the march) is totally wrong. If they had launched the march for ‘Swachh Bharat’ (clean India), education or health, it would have held some meaning for the public. Now that the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ has reached Assam, it would mean that the Congress supports the (statehood) demand of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). It also implies, therefore, that the Congress believes Assam is not a part of India.”

Answering the need for holding a long foot march in several states Sarma said, “What is the sense in launching a ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and other states? Are these states not with India? Have they set out unite the country in a unique way?”

The Assam CM alleged, “We are all united and live as one. If someone starts a ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in a state where peace, harmony, and unity prevail, then it is nothing but an insult to the state. It is like saying that the state is not with India.”

Earlier on 7 September Congress started the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari which will cover a distance of 3,570 km to Kashmir till next year.

Meanwhile, on 1 November Congress’s Assam unit launched a parallel foot march from Golakganj in the Dhubri district.

Moreover, at Dibrugarh University ragging incident took place in which CM Sarma said, “We will have to remove all ex-students from university campuses. The state government will launch an operation soon to ensure that no ex-students are staying at hostels of colleges or universities. I think it will reduce ragging incidents by at least 60 percent. Our government has resolved to undertake a major initiative to put an end to ragging. We will launch a crackdown on the practice.”

However, on several road connectivity projects in the state CM Sarma reviewed the progress work.

“Many road connectivity projects are currently underway in the state. These include the Guwahati-North Guwahati connecting bridge, which is coming up at a cost of Rs 2,608 crore, the Palasbari-Sualkuchi connecting bridge at a cost of Rs 3,197 crore, and the ‘Assam Mala’ projects in three phases at a cost of Rs 11,273 crore. The Lok Nirman Bibhag (public infrastructure department) of the state government is either implementing or has taken the initiative to implement these projects,” CM Sarma said.

Assam CM Sarma further added, “The (state) finance ministry has also sanctioned two externally-aided projects for the state — the entire road network in the Dima Hasao district at a cost of Rs 3,800 crore and converting the wooden bridges to concrete ones at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore. Apart from state-funded projects or those under PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana), road works on a massive scale at Rs 25,000 crore have either been sanctioned or are already being implemented. The state cabinet has approved three new flyovers in Guwahati and a road that will connect the airport’s new terminal to Azara.”