CPI(M) to Stage Statewide Protest Over Gir Cow Procurement Allegations in Assam
Protest Announcement by CPI(M)
Guwahati, July 3: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has declared plans for a statewide demonstration on July 4, in response to alleged irregularities in the procurement and distribution of Gir cows associated with the prominent Garukhuti Multipurpose Agricultural Project in Assam.
During a press briefing at the CPI(M) State office, State secretary Suprakash Talukdar accused the government of financial misconduct and called for a prompt judicial investigation led by either a sitting or retired judge.
Present at the press conference were Central committee member Isfaqur Rahman, along with State secretariat members Nayan Bhuyan and Nirangkush Nath. The leaders provided a timeline showcasing conflicting data from various RTI responses, official statements, Assembly discussions, and media reports, which they described as an 'information chaos' regarding the number of Gir cows imported, their distribution, and mortality rates.
The CPI(M) noted that the Memorandum of Understanding for bringing Gir cows to Assam was signed on January 7, 2022, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Parshottam Rupala in attendance. The initial plan was to import 15,000 Gir cows, with 5,000 designated for the Garukhuti project. However, RTI documents reveal discrepancies; one response indicates that 98 cows were imported in November 2021, while another states that 24 cows and a bull arrived in January 2022.
In March 2023, Minister Atul Bora informed the Assembly that 122 Gir cows were acquired in November-December 2021, and due to births, the total increased to 176. Yet, records from February 2024 indicate that 300 cows were purchased from NDDB, with 210 being allocated to the project in April 2023. The CPI(M) claims that 90 cows were distributed to farmers via elected representatives, with 56 subsequently dying.
Additional inconsistencies were pointed out from the Governor’s 2022 budget address and various media reports, which mentioned 108 cows as of November 2021. Project officer Yugabrata Nath reportedly stated that the project currently has 210 Gir cows, including 130 calves.
Alongside demanding a judicial investigation into the Gir cow issue, CPI(M) is also calling for the dismissal of Cabinet Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah and a judicial inquiry into the alleged disproportionate increase in the income of his wife’s farm, which reportedly rose from Rs 1.19 lakh in 2020 to Rs 77 lakh. The party suspects that the farm may be involved in laundering black money, potentially linked to funds from the Jal Jeevan Mission.