Assam Congress Criticizes Government's Welfare Approach

Gaurav Gogoi's Press Conference Highlights Government Failures

Guwahati, Jan 3: Gaurav Gogoi, the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), expressed strong criticism on Saturday regarding the administration led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He claimed that the government has not presented any forward-thinking strategies and has merely relegated women and economically disadvantaged groups to the role of beneficiaries through welfare initiatives.

During a press conference in Tinsukia, Gogoi pointed out that the distribution of welfare schemes is not a novel concept, citing that programs like Orunodoi are prevalent in nearly every state across India.

"What Assam genuinely requires are programs that empower individuals to achieve economic independence," he stated.

The Jorhat MP further mentioned that if Congress regains power, the party would explore methods to ensure authentic empowerment for women and develop new initiatives accordingly.

"True progress can only be realized when programs tackle the real issues faced by the populace," he emphasized.

Gogoi criticized the state government's decision to allocate Rs 1,500 to temple workers, arguing that no substantial measures have been taken to ensure the economic self-sufficiency of the state's sattras.

"Under the Congress administration, we prioritized economic empowerment, providing support to sattras, which allowed many to maintain a degree of independence," he noted.

He also took a jab at the Chief Minister, alleging that the government has only made minimal increases in pensions for the elderly and benefits for women-focused schemes after extensive discussions, while significantly inflating project costs when awarded to select contractors.

"This has resulted in a growing wealth gap, where a segment of the population is prospering while the underprivileged remain trapped in a beneficiary role," he remarked.

Gogoi accused the Chief Minister of misleading the public regarding the grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities, stating that the Chief Minister had initially portrayed the presentation of the ministerial committee's report in the Assembly as a significant milestone, only to later concede that ST status would not be conferred before the Assembly elections.

He asserted that despite the BJP's attempts to showcase strength, the forthcoming Assam Assembly elections will be fiercely contested.

"This time, the people of Assam will demonstrate to the nation that when a dignified populace unites, a government riddled with arrogance and corruption can easily fall. The BJP will not succeed in deceiving the aware citizens of Assam," he concluded.