Ripun Bora takes a jibe at Modi’s personal life, again

GUWAHATI: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora once again took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal life for the BJP government’s failure to generate employment in Assam.

Raising 24 questions to the prime minister two days ahead of his visit to the state, Bora today said: “You don’t have any child, so you will not feel the pain of parents with jobless children. You promised to generate 2 crore jobs five years ago, but it never materialised. It is a heartbreaking to see the pitiable condition of our villagers, particularly in Assam.”

Bora had to apologise after a similar personal attack on Modi a few years ago.

He also said Modi’s proposed election rally at Jerenga Pathar in Sivasagar district on Saturday will be an insult to the supreme sacrifice of Joymati after his government divided the greater Assamese society on communal lines.

 “Jerenga Pathar is a symbol of Assam’s self respect and integrity. But, you convened midnight sessions of the Parliament to impose a law called the Citizenship Amendment Act that was opposed by every single Assamese. You used your police forces to kill at least five people for protesting the Act. Your objective of imposing the black law was to divide the greater Assamese society on communal lines, which you have invariably achieved,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

ALSO READ: Laika-Dodhia protesters break through barricades in front of Tinsukia DC office

Accusing the BJP government of abrogating the historic Assam Accord by imposing the CAA, he also mentioned that after promising to deport all illegal migrants after May 16, 2016, the BJP government managed to deport only four Bangladeshi nationals.

He further accused the Centre of leaving Assam under a debt burden of Rs 80,000 crore by abolishing the 90:10 patern of central funding and by not releasing GST return of about Rs 17 to 20 crore.

Bora also pointed out that the Modi government had promised Scheduled Tribe status to six communities of Assam within 100 days of the Sarbananda Sonowal government assuming office in Assam, which was later on extended to six months and one year. “However, nothing happened till date. How long will you cheat the Assamese people?” he said.

Bora also questioned the Centre about dredging of the Brahmaputra and express highways on either sides of the Brahmaputra, the delay in work on the proposed bridges over the Brahmaputra, the failure to fulfill the pre-poll promise of revival of the paper mills in Assam and other major issues.

Raising the issue of privatisation of Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and Kamakhya railway station here, at least 27 “profit-making” oilfields, Bora said: “When you are selling one asset after another in Assam instead of giving something new to Assam, how can the people of Assam accept you with love? You can expect only a hired crowd at Jerenga Pathar.”