Congress Protests in Nalbari Over Allegations of Corruption in Jal Jeevan Mission

Protest Against PHE Minister in Nalbari

Nalbari, Dec 21: A significant protest took place in Nalbari on Sunday, where Congress activists set fire to an effigy of Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah in his own constituency, accusing him of corruption related to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

The demonstration resulted in the temporary closure of Nalbari Thana Chowk, leading to traffic disruptions in this bustling area.

Protesters later delivered a memorandum to the Nalbari District Commissioner via the officer-in-charge of the Nalbari police station, Pawan Kalita, demanding Mallabaruah's resignation.

Congress members claimed that the Jal Jeevan Mission, which Mallabaruah oversees, has tarnished the state's reputation.

One Congress member expressed, “It is embarrassing that the Jal Jeevan Mission Minister represents Nalbari. Assam has been ranked second in the nation for corruption in this scheme. Previously, the minister faced accusations of cow smuggling, and now his department has pushed Assam to second place nationally in corruption. He must step down.”

The protest was organized by the Nalbari Town Block Congress and included notable party figures such as former Nalbari MLA Ashok Sharma and Arun Tiwari, general secretary of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC).

Earlier this month, Gaurav Gogoi, president of the APCC, criticized the BJP-led government for its handling of the Jal Jeevan Mission.

On December 18, Gogoi accused the government of widespread mismanagement and corruption in the execution of the flagship drinking water initiative, asserting that it has failed to provide the promised benefits.

He stated, “The department responsible for the Jal Jeevan Mission is led by a minister close to the Chief Minister. This is why scams have thrived, and the public continues to suffer.”

To escalate their campaign, Gogoi announced a statewide sticker initiative at sites where the Jal Jeevan Mission has reportedly failed.

“In areas where the scheme has not succeeded, we will place stickers to ensure that both the central and state governments are urged to conduct fresh inspections,” Gogoi added.

The Jal Jeevan Mission's implementation in Assam also faced intense scrutiny in the Lok Sabha during the recent Winter Session, with Gogoi labeling the state government's management of the centrally sponsored scheme as a “complete flop show.”

Previously, on June 9, PHE Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah informed the State Assembly that the Jal Jeevan Mission is subject to thorough, multi-layered evaluations, including third-party inspections and real-time monitoring.

He mentioned that the state has initiated 27,596 projects under the mission, with 18,498 completed and 17,230 already handed over to user committees.