With Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Assam, the Congress on Friday released a set of ten questions, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of abandoning the state and the wider Northeast after a decade in power.
Addressing the media, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera described Shah’s visit as a welcome move from a party he claimed had consistently neglected the region’s concerns. He said the Congress expected the Union Home Minister to seek accountability from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, whom he referred to as Shah’s “disciple”, alleging that the Chief Minister had been allowed to act without restraint.
Khera raised the long-pending issue of Scheduled Tribe status, recalling promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Assam Chief Minister. He questioned why, despite assurances made years ago, communities such as the Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Moran, Matak, Chutia and Tea Tribes remained without ST status even after more than a decade.
He further alleged large-scale alienation of land belonging to indigenous people, claiming that vast tracts had been sold to favoured interests. Linking land issues with unemployment, Khera asked why Assamese youth were being forced to migrate in search of work and face discrimination outside the state, and alleged that the erosion of livelihoods had weakened Assamese identity. He also questioned the disappearance of a large number of indigenous voters from electoral rolls.
The Congress leader criticised the government’s record on agriculture and public services, asking why tea cultivators in Assam were still without a minimum support price. He said the state continued to lag behind in healthcare despite years of BJP rule and expressed concern over water pollution, questioning what concrete steps had been taken to address declining water quality.
Referring to the BJP’s 2016 campaign slogan of “Jati, Mati, Bheti”, Khera accused the ruling party of betraying its own promises by weakening community identity, selling land and undermining the foundations of Assamese society. He extended the criticism to the entire Northeast, alleging that the region had been rendered politically marginalised and blamed foreign policy failures for pushing Bangladesh closer to China, which he said had created new security and humanitarian challenges for Assam.
Khera said the Congress had faith in Shah’s ability to provide answers and added that the party would continue to seek explanations in the coming months.
Amit Shah arrived in Dibrugarh around midnight on Thursday and was received by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, members of the state cabinet and senior officials. The visit marked Shah’s second trip to Assam since December 29, as the BJP geared up for the forthcoming Assembly elections, where it was seeking a third consecutive term in office.
