Weak Sonowal failed to provide strong leadership: Ex-Assam CM Gogoi

Senior Congress leader and former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday described Sarbananda Sonowal as a "weak chief minister" who allegedly failed to provide a strong leadership when the state was going through trying times due to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014.

Protests have erupted across Assam and a statewide "bandh", called by a number of organisations, was observed on January 8.

"Sarbananda Sonowal is a weak chief minister. If he does not take a strong stand on the bill today, it is certain that the future of Assam will be dark. I feel if the chief minister remains weak at this time, it is very unfortunate for the people of Assam," Gogoi, who preceded Sonowal as the chief minister, said.

"Sonowal has given only a weak leadership and for that, I believe, (Finance Minister) Himanta Biswa Sarma is the one who is the most responsible. And due to this, he (Sarma) is riding roughshod over the hopes and aspirations of the people of Assam, instead of supporting them," he told reporters here.

Even after all this, if the chief minister did not wake up, people would realise that he was pretending not to understand their plight because of his self-interest, the Congress leader said, while taking part in the "Meji-burning" ritual of Bohagi or Magh Bihu, an agrarian festival of Assam.

"All this time, he (Sonowal) had been sleeping... that is all right. But now he should wake up from his slumber and fulfil the promises he had made to the people of the state," he added.

As the "Meji" structure, made of bamboo, hay, dried leaves and wood, was lit amid religious rituals, Gogoi said, "Today, I am praying in front of the Meji that god gives Sonowal good sense. We seek his good health and prosperity."
On the Citizenship Bill, he said, "We will continue with our protests against the bill. We assure the people of Assam that the bill will not be implemented at any cost. We promise to oppose the bill till it is withdrawn. Let the Meji fire burn all the negativity along with it."
Recollecting his childhood memories of Bihu before the media, the chief minister said, "Being sons of farmers, all the three Bihus are very dear to us."