Nalbari: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Centre over the proposed Rs 7,000-crore project linked to Kaziranga National Park, stating that the funds would have been better utilised to permanently address Assam’s recurring flood problem.
Addressing a public meeting at the playground of Milon High School in the Tihu constituency after walking nearly five kilometres through Nalbari town, Gogoi alleged that the priorities of the BJP-led governments were “completely disconnected” from the real issues faced by the people. “If the Central government truly wanted to help Assam, the Rs 7,000 crore proposed for the Kaziranga elevated corridor should have been invested in strengthening river embankments across the state,” he said, adding that floods annually devastate lives, homes and livelihoods.
Gogoi also raised concerns over the ecological impact of large infrastructure projects in Kaziranga, warning that elevated corridors disturb wildlife movement and the park’s fragile ecology. “Development cannot come at the cost of nature and people’s survival,” he asserted.
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Earlier in the day, Gogoi arrived in Nalbari on a full-day programme and walked from the Congress Rajiv Bhawan to the meeting venue, interacting with locals. He was accompanied by senior Congress leaders, including Arun Tiwari, Ashok Sharma, Dibya Jyoti Haloi and Nalbari District Congress Committee president Ratul Patowari. Thousands of party workers and supporters attended the meeting.
Targeting the BJP, Gogoi alleged that announcements made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits had failed to bring real relief to the people. He also accused the ruling party of allowing public land to fall into the hands of politically influential individuals and said fear and insecurity had become part of daily life.
Reiterating the Congress’s vision, Gogoi said the party was committed to reviving the inclusive “Bor Assam” dream envisioned by Jyotiprasad Agarwala. He also urged the Prime Minister to visit Jubin Kshetra in Sonapur and confer the Bharat Ratna on late singer Zubeen Garg, stating that Assam’s cultural icons deserve national recognition.
