HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Aug 3: Senior Congress leader Ripun Bora launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led Assam government on Sunday, accusing it of widespread governance failures, politically motivated evictions, and deepening communal divisions ahead of the upcoming elections.
Speaking to reporters here, Bora alleged that the state was slipping into lawlessness and rampant corruption under the leadership of chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
“Assam is currently under loot and jungle raj,” he said, claiming that members of the ruling cabinet have amassed “mountain-like” personal wealth since assuming office.
Bora sharply criticized the government’s record on education, citing alarming dropout figures.
“From 2021 to the present, over two lakh students have left school. Is this the development the BJP boasts about?” he asked, pointing to education as one of the sectors most neglected by the current administration.
The Congress leader also condemned the ongoing eviction drives, terming them a pre-election spectacle aimed at displacing indigenous communities.
He claimed that over 55,000 bighas of land belonging to khilonjia (indigenous) people have been cleared under the guise of development.
“This is not just about evictions. It’s bulldozer raj targeting the land and livelihood of Assam’s sons of the soil,” he said, alleging that the policy is being selectively enforced to serve the BJP’s electoral agenda.
Accusing the BJP of failing to fulfil its promise to detect and deport illegal immigrants, Bora demanded the release of a white paper detailing the number of Bangladeshis actually expelled from Assam since 2016.
“The people have a right to know the truth,” he said.
On the issue of communal polarisation, Bora charged the ruling party with using religion as a tool to divide voters and distract from real concerns.
“The BJP’s election strategy is built on creating religious rifts. Meanwhile, issues like unemployment, education, and land rights are being sidelined,” he asserted.
He also slammed the state government for allegedly burying the Biplab Kumar Sharma Committee report on illegal immigration.
“The report was discarded like garbage. It never even reached the Union Home Minister. What are they trying to hide?” he asked.
Concluding his remarks, Bora appealed to voters to reject the BJP in the upcoming elections, urging them to give the Congress a mandate to restore governance and justice.
“To save Assam from this destructive path, a Congress government must be formed on the 26th. Only then can we bring back dignity, equity, and fairness,” he said.