Debabrata Saikia calls Sonowal, Himanta agents of Gujarati business expansion

SIVASAGAR: Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia today called Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma “agents” of Gujarati business expansion in Assam.

Addressing an election rally at Boarding Field here today, Saikia said: “Mahatma Gandhi was from Gujarat who a non-violent revolution against British slavery and achieved Independence. After that two other Gujaratis are making the nation slaves of two more fellow Gujaratis.”

Party former president Rahul Gandhi was also present in the rally.

He was referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, and Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani.

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“And, it is unfortunate that two persons in our government are acting as agents of the Gujarati business expansionists,” Saikia added, apparently referring to Sonowal and Sarma as regards the privatisation of airport, railway station and oilfields.

Earlier, Saikia took a jibe at Modi’s proposed visit to Assam for a third time within one month calling him a “tourist PM’.

“He loves tourism. He is a tourist PM. He travels around the world. It’s a different matter that even our neighbouring countries do not like us anymore. Besides, travelling helps him earn the travel allowances. His coming to Assam thrice in a month is nothing important. It makes no difference for us,” Saikia told newspersons here.

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State Congress president Ripun Bora also lashed out at Modi and Shah for not visiting the state when the people reeling under floods.

“Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was the one who secured Assam’s future through the Assam Accord. He also came to Assam to share the woes of the flood affected people. But, Modi and Shah who are visiting the state frequently to campaign for the BJP, did not have time to visit the state when it was reeling under floods over the past five years,” Bora said.

He also complimented Rahul Gandhi for visiting the state during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests early last year.

“Like the past, it is only Congress that can rescue Assam this time again,” he said.