Growth in Assam higher than in Guj: Gogoi attacks Modi

Attacking Narendra Modi for his claims on development in Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said his state had witnessed a much higher growth compared to Gujarat.

"Assam's growth was 13% in 2012-13, while it was 8.52% in Gujarat. Modi only has speed of talking, but I have speed of development," he said on the floor of the Assembly during discussion on the Governor's address.

"...People say that Gujarat is developing and Assam is not. If Gujarat is so developed, then why are people there seeking jobs under MGNREGA? As per records, 30 lakh people have job cards under this scheme in Gujarat," he said.

"...And Modi comes here and says that we have given jobs to only 10,000 people," he said.

Accepting that Assam was lagging behind Gujarat in the overall development index, Gogoi, however, asserted that his state's growth was much higher than the western state.

On February 8, Modi had addressed a public rally in Guwahati and said only 10,018 persons had got jobs under the MGNREGA scheme out of 12 lakh people registered in the state.

On February 10, Gogoi had taken on Modi saying he was "irresponsible" and had made "wrong statements" at his rally here.