The 2021 Assembly elections will be a ‘second war of Independence’ for Assam, the Congress said today.
“India secured Independence in 1947 after a long struggle. The entire country had rallied behind Mahatma Gandhi’s call of ‘Do or Die’. We, the Congress party, believe that the 2021 Assembly elections will be a second war of Independence for Assam,” said APCC president Ripun Bora.
He added, “Just like the British followed the policy of ‘divide and rule’, the BJP also wants to divide our society. The biggest challenge before us now is to maintain the diversity of Assam. Economy, job creation and social welfare are not on the agenda of the BJP. They (BJP) just want to divide us. So, for Assam the 2021 elections will be a second war of Independence. BJP wants to pollute Assam’s political environment by implementing its hidden agenda of creating divisiveness in society.”
Bora was speaking at an induction programme at Rajiv Bhawan here. Vice chairman of Scheduled Castes Development Corporation and BJP State executive member Swapan Kumar Mandal, senior journalist Khagen Kalita, vice president of BJP State Scheduled Tribe Morcha Bali Ram Boro and others joined the Congress on the occasion.
“We have to remove the BJP from power just like we threw out the British. Assam’s future will be dark if we fail to defeat the BJP in 2021 and our heritage, culture and language will be under a threat. BJP is expert in diverting attention of the masses. It plays with the people’s emotions to polarise society,” Bora said.
He alleged that Assam has witnessed a number of scams during the BJP-led government’s rule, and added that there is massive price rise, unemployment and serious law and order problem in the State.
“So, now the BJP leaders are using terms like ‘clash of civilisation’, ‘Mughal aggression’ and ‘65 per cent-35 per cent’ (Hindu-Muslim),” Bora said.
He exuded the confidence that the Congress will be able to win the 2021 Assembly elections. “The 2021 Assembly elections will not be a BJP versus Congress affair. It will be a fight to preserve the unity and integrity of Assam,” said the Congress leader.
Ex-minister and Deputy Leader of Congress Legislature Party Rakibul Hussain said the BJP won the 2016 Assembly polls due to a split of opposition votes. “We lost in 30 constituencies due to division of votes between the Congress and AIUDF or Congress and Left parties. This time there will be no such fragmentation of votes,” he said.
