Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the state government would come out with a fact sheet on the development activities carried out in Assam by Congress-led UPA Government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during its 10-year tenure.
In a statement here, Gogoi said the state government would publish in detail within the current month the slew of development initiatives taken by then Prime Minister Singh as elected MP from Assam.
Gogoi also said the BJP must bring out a fact sheet as to what the previous and the present BJP-led NDA Governments have done for Assam so that the people can judge things in proper perspectives.
Further, the Chief Minister dared Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to come out with facts and figures on the development works he carried out in the sports arena and also in skill development when he held that portfolio.
"The people of Assam have the right to know as to what Sarbananda Sonowal has done for the State of Assam vis-a-vis how many projects/schemes he has implemented so far and the benefits accruing out of them," he added.
If the State Government is incompetent to run the administration then why the Central Government is seeking the support of the State to host the SAF Games, Gogoi questioned.
"BJP leaders never criticise the AIUDF solely because they have a secret understanding with them with a motive to capture power at any cost", Gogoi said.
He pointed out that it was during the regime of Manmohan Singh that Assam bagged the mega Assam Gas Cracker project, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) and other institutions of national repute, BTPS, five bridges over the Brahmaputra and modern stadia built during the 33rd National Games, he reminded.
The chief minister asked Sonowal to provide a fact sheet on the development initiatives taken by the present BJP-led NDA government for Assam during its one and a half years of rule.
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Gogoi said that barring Kerala, where literacy rate is
high, the population of Muslims across India is rising.
"If it is rising in Assam because of illegal immigration, then why is it growing in other states? And if there are infiltrators, then why are you not catching them? All central agencies are under you, so take action," said Gogoi.
Talking about the issue of high percentage of population growth among the minority community, he said the rise is happening mainly because of illiteracy in many areas.
"We need to spread education. The rate of illiteracy is higher in char (temporary islands) areas. However, illiteracy is the highest among the tea tribes in Assam," the Chief Minister added.
He, however, accepted that very small scale infiltration is still going on in all border states but "the way it is being presented is not correct".
Asked if the aggressive campaigning by BJP is influencing voters, Gogoi said "yes, Hindu polarisation is happening due to the infiltration issue.
"AGP did it first and now BJP is doing the same. Even I was defeated very badly due to this issue in 1985", the Chief Minister said.
BJP's ally AGP was born out of the six-year bloody Assam agitation against illegal immigration by All Assam Students Union and won the 1985 Assembly poll by huge margins.
AGP came to power twice, first in 1985 and then in 1996, with a promise to solve the issue and make Assam an infiltrator-free state but failed to bring in any significant change.
Replying to a question, Gogoi, who is fighting what could be his last Assembly election, does not want his son and Lok Sabha Member Gaurav to join the state politics after his retirement.
"I do not want Gaurav to come to state politics. He will not be able to grow here. To grow, he has to be in national politics," he said.
Gogoi, who won Lok Sabha elections for six times, is of
the opinion that Gaurav should get more exposure.
"He (Gaurav) must get much more exposure. Otherwise, his mind will be narrow. Earlier when I joined the state politics, initially I found it difficult to adjust here," he added. Gaurav started his electoral career in 2014 by winning the Lok Sabha elections from Kaliabor constituency. On the other hand, the 80-year old Chief Minister started his electoral politics in 1968 by becoming a member of Jorhat Municipal Board in Assam.
Tarun Gogoi was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1971 and rose and became the General Secretary of AICC in 1985, followed by President of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 1986 to 1990.
He was Union Food Minister in 1991-1993 and Food Processing Industry Minister in 1993-1995. Gogoi assumed the office of Chief Minister in May, 2001 to form the Congress government which is ruling the state for three consecutive term since then.
Asked if he has any regret in his political life, Gogoi said "there is no political regret. The central leadership has given me due recognition. I never wanted and asked for anything but I got everything. The central leaders have put their confidence in me."
He also expressed happiness about "very good relations" with all leaders since Indira Gandhi.
On the personal front, however, the veteran Congress leader said politics has affected his family life. "Yes, personal life has been hampered because of my active political life. I could not spend time with my family. It is a fact. I had no option. Since childhood, I had decided that I would join politics," he added.
Gogoi said his wife Dolly Gogoi is not involved in politics and it has helped him to concentrate on his work.
