Gogoi’s remark on unabated Bangla influx decried

Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, April 1 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has committed an act of treason with his statement that the unabated influx of Bangladesh people to Assam is not a major problem for the State.

Stating this, State BJP spokesman Charan Deka also demanded at a press conference here yesterday that Gogoi should tender an apology to the people of the State for hurting their sentiment with the above statement. Gogoi has also insulted the martyrs of the Assam agitation with the above statement, Deka alleged.

Wondering whether Gogoi was immune to the legal provisions, Deka also alleged that the vote bank politics of the Congress had made Gogoi to stoop to such a low that he (Gogoi), with the above statement, had sent a positive signal to the Bangladesh design of annexing Assam.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) chief spokesman Atul Bora (Junior), who was also present on the occasion, said that Gogoi had made it clear that he was not perturbed with the idea of rapid growth in the number of the people of Bangladesh-origin, when he missed no time to give a clean-sheet to the people driven out by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh as Bangla nationals, Bora said.

Deka asserted that the AGP-BJP combine was not opposed to the idea of growth in the population of the Indian Muslims. But what it is opposed to is the abnormal growth in the population of the people of Banlga origin, he said.

The growth in the number of the Bangla nationals in the State is horrifying in many parts of the State. For example, he said, in Dhubri district, the growth of Muslims was 74.29 per cent in 2001, while the Hindu population in the district recorded a growth of 24.74 per cent. Likewise, the Muslim population in Goalpara district recorded a growth of 53.71 per cent that year against 34.2 in the Hindu population.

The growth rate among the Muslims of Barpeta district was 59.37 per cent that year, against 40.19 per cent among the Hindus. Nagaon recorded a growth rate of 51 per cent, against 47.8 per cent among the Hindus, Karimganj recorded a 52.3 per cent growth rate among its Muslims, against 46. 7 per cent among its Hindus. Hailakandi recorded a growth rate of 57.63 per cent among its Muslims, against 41.11 per cent among its Hindus.

Soon, Hidnus are becoming a minority in the districts of Darrang, Morigaon and Cachar as per the present growth rate among the Muslims of these districts, Deka said.

For the security of the indigenous people of Assam and also for the integrity of India, it is hence mandatory for the people to vote for a party or alliance that takes care of the foreigners’ issue of Assam. Only a pro-Assam Government at the Centre and a dedicated Government in the State can solve this problem once for all, Deka said emphatically.

When asked to comment on the allegation of AICC Observer M Veerappa Moily that the BJP and the AGP were bent on dividing the people on communal lines, Atul Bora said that Moily did not merit any comment.

Referring to the alleged comment made by BJP leader LK Advani that he would facilitate autonomous state status to Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills District, Atul Bora said that Advani had not made such a statement in his Diphu Kherani meeting recently. Moreover, the AGP is also opposed to the idea of further dismemberment of Assam. He also asserted that the AGP would be opposing the river linking project proposed by the Central Government during the NDA rule. ASSAM TRIBUNE