If work getting done without speaking, better to stay silent: Lakhimpur MP

As Pradan Baruah seeks a third consecutive term from Assam's Lakhimpur, the BJP leader puts up a brave face to the sobriquet of being a "silent MP", claiming that his constituency was on the fast-track of development, and "if by not even speaking in Parliament, so much is happening, it is better not to speak".

Baruah claimed that even without using his "trump card" (of speaking in the House), he has ensured that core issues such as connectivity and flood control in the north bank of Brahmaputra, bordering Arunachal Pradesh, are being addressed.

"It is only better if work is getting done without even speaking. I should save my trump card, then. Without even asking, we are getting everything. What can be better than that?" Baruah said in an interview with PTI here.

According to data shared by non-profit organisation PRS Legislative Research in February this year, Baruah was among nine MPs in the outgoing Lok Sabha who did not participate in any debate or discussion during the entire term of the House.

Baruah said that since he is a member of a national party, speakers are fixed according to topics.

"The Narendra Modi government is working in the national spirit. There are different platforms where I can share our issues, it is not that I don't raise those," he said.

Citing an example, he said 30 per cent of eligible beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Assam were left out and later, campaigns such as 'Vikshit Bharat Sankalp Yatra' and 'Mera Mati, Mera Desh' were run.

"We informed Modi ji about the success of these campaigns. We have now got 2 crore additional PMAY houses. Assam and Bihar benefited the most. By next year, all eligible people will get their houses," he claimed.

"If there is a need someday and the party leadership asks me to, I will definitely speak. But even if by not speaking so much is happening, it is better not to speak," the MP added.

Among the important problems plaguing Lakhimpur are the annual floods, which Baruah claimed are being controlled.

"Eighty per cent of flood control work has been done, only 20 per cent is remaining. There are various reasons for it, one being people not wanting to give away their land for building embankments or creating channels for river water," he said.

"People say they will rather live with floods than let go of their land. We are trying to convince them they will benefit more if they give some land," he added.

Among major rivers where flood control measures are being taken are the Jiadhal and Gai, Baruah said, adding that though it took time to undertake these steps as a lot of homework had to be put in, work is in the final stage.

On concerns of negative impact, in downstream areas, of the NHPC's Lower Subansiri Hydel Power Project coming up in Arunachal Pradesh, Baruah that these were based on "rumours spread by a section of people".

"We went village after village explaining to people that the dam is being built with the world's latest technology. They are understanding now," he said.

The government, as well as the NHPC, is working for the protection of downstream areas beyond 30 km now, which was previously confined to 10 km only, he added.

The MP said connectivity was another major issue for the constituency, especially railway communication, and though much work has been done, there is more that needs to be ensured.

He said that issues concerning railway connectivity were raised before the Railway Board, and trains connecting Lakhimpur with major cities will start running once the station at Pasighat in bordering Arunachal Pradesh is completed by next year.

Railway track electrification will also be completed here by November, he added.

"We want people to get cent per cent benefits of central government schemes. We focus a lot on creating awareness of these schemes, especially through gram sabhas. We want to ensure saturation of all central government schemes," he said.

Baruah, who was a Congress MLA from Dhemaji before switching over to the saffron party, asserted that this Lok Sabha election will be "for development, for Modi".

He claimed that the opposition parties have been rejected by the people, with these parties having no mass base or leaders.

"It is difficult to get Congress cadres now. The few who are still in the party are leaving due to leadership crisis," he alleged.

The grand old party has fielded Uday Shankar Hazarika against him.

He maintained that "good work has been done in the last 10 years", with all sections of the society getting bank linkages, which is helping them earn livelihoods for themselves and their families.

Infrastructure development, socio-economic growth and social progress in the last decade have been important achievements, the MP said.

A total of nine contestants are in the fray from Lakhimpur constituency, which goes to the polls in the first phase on April 19.