Akhil Gogoi Leads Protest Against E20 Fuel in Assam Assembly

Protest Against Ethanol-Blending Policy

Guwahati, July 7: The Raijor Dal party, led by Akhil Gogoi, continued its protest on the second day of the Assam Legislative Assembly's Budget Session, focusing on the Centre's ethanol-blending policy. This demonstration led to a lively debate within the Assembly.

Before the session began, Gogoi arrived at the Assembly with a motorcycle on a handcart, asserting that the introduction of E20 fuel has harmed vehicles and placed an undue burden on the middle class.

He stated, "The level of exploitation has reached its peak. This decision has caused damage to vehicles owned by the middle class. We brought a motorcycle on a wheel cart to advocate for an option where consumers can choose between E20 fuel and regular petrol," while speaking to the media.

Gogoi further questioned the effectiveness of the policy, asking if the blending of ethanol with petrol had led to any decrease in fuel prices. "Have fuel prices dropped after the ethanol blend? This has caused damage to countless vehicles," he claimed.

The protest led Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika to express his disapproval of legislators demonstrating outside the Assembly on matters not formally addressed within the House. He remarked, "This is a Legislative Assembly, not a platform for protests. Assam has a designated area for demonstrations at Chachal."

Hazarika, who has served in the House for over a decade, noted a trend in recent years where legislators prefer to protest in front of cameras rather than discussing issues during Assembly sessions.

He pointed out that the issue of Assam's flood situation was raised outside the Assembly without being formally discussed inside. Hazarika also requested Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass to refer the matter to the General Purposes Committee for further discussion.

His comments were met with objections from the Opposition, with TMC MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed accusing the government of trying to limit legislators' freedom of expression. "Members are entitled to speak to the press. Just because an issue isn't raised in the House doesn't mean it can't be discussed outside. This is unjust," Ahmed stated.

The ongoing debate also faced criticism from various legislators who expressed concern over the loss of valuable Question Hour time. Congress MLA Abdur Rahim Ahmed from Chenga mentioned that members had significant constituency issues to address but were unable to do so due to the extended discussions.

AIUDF MLA Mazibur Rahman from Dalgaon raised a point of order, claiming that Gogoi's frequent confrontations disrupt the House's functioning. "We await chances to present our questions. Whenever Gogoi engages in a debate, the House tends to move towards disruption and adjournment. We need to explain to our constituents why our questions remain unaddressed," he said.

This protest followed a demonstration by Gogoi and fellow Raijor Dal MLA Mehboob Mukhtar on the first day of the Budget Session, where they wore life jackets and held placards to draw attention to the devastation caused by annual floods in Assam.