Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 16: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi arrived in Guwahati on Wednesday morning to attend a series of crucial party meetings, including the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meet.
They were welcomed at the Guwahati airport by Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi and other party leaders. The top leadership will also participate in meetings with Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office bearers, Members of Parliament, MLAs, and grassroots workers.
Speaking to ANI, Gogoi launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Assam government, alleging that the people of the state are living under a “regime of fear and terror.”
“The message is very clear: Congress will fight for justice, dignity, and the rights of the people of Assam who are suffering under this corrupt and cruel BJP government,” said Gogoi. He added that the visit by Kharge and Rahul Gandhi is meant to reassure citizens that “there is no need to fear.”
Allegations of Land Grab by State Government
In a serious accusation, Gogoi claimed that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has “donated nearly 17,000 acres of land” to industrialists from outside the state without consulting the local communities.
“The CM is acting like a real estate broker, displacing tribals and minorities. Congress will fight for their self-respect, dignity, and land rights,” he said.
CM Sarma Responds with Eviction Data
Meanwhile, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday revealed that the government has freed 1,19,548 bighas of land from encroachers as part of ongoing eviction drives. This includes 84,743 bighas in forests and national parks.
Sarma also criticized the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for allegedly misrepresenting his government’s stance on illegal infiltration. He said the TMC was falsely projecting the anti-infiltration drive against Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants as being “anti-Bengali.”
“This is a desperate ploy to shield illegal Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh,” Sarma asserted.
The political temperature in Assam is expected to rise further with the Congress leadership intensifying its attack on the ruling BJP in the lead-up to upcoming state and local elections.