Assam election manifesto: UPA promises land patta to char dwellers

GUWAHATI: At a time when the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has been going hammer and tongs against development in the char areas (sandbars) of the Brahmaputra in its election campaigns, the Congress-led Grand Alliance has promised patta (land certificates) to land holders in those backward areas inhibited mostly by religious minorities in the state.

In a manifesto of the Grand Alliance, that comprises All India United Democratic Alliance (AIUDF) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) as major constituents, the conglomerate of seven parties has promised survey of land in the char areas to make it convenient to award land certificates.

The manifesto for the ongoing Assam assembly elections was published on Friday, the eve of first phase of polling that was completed on Saturday.

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“The Grand Alliance considers survey of land in char areas as very essential. Once the survey is completed, award of land patta will become convenient,” the alliance has stated in its manifesto.

“For the development of the char areas, the directorate for development of char areas will be modernised,” it added.

Further the manifesto lists setting up of technical education institutions, teacher training institutions, colleges and model schools in minority dominated areas of the state.

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The other promises the alliance has made include steps to develop roads and surface transport in minority dominated areas and setting up of healthcare institutions in minority areas.

The NDA, on the other hand, has been consistently antagonising the inhabitants of the char areas depicting the community as non-humans prejudicing them to be vote bank of the AIUDF and the Congress.

BJP’s star campaigner Himanta Biswa Sarma had openly stated that the NDA does not need Miyan votes to win elections in Assam. He made the statement refusing to recognise “Miyan literature” and “Miyan museum”.

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The NDA, however, has been banking on the minority community voters in certain constituencies such as Patacharkuchi, that BJP state president Ranjeet Kr Dass is contesting, the prestige seat of Batadrova, being contested by BJP incumbent MLA Angoorlata Deka, and few others.