Union minister and Assam BJP president Sarbananda Sonowal today accused Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of unleashing violence on a protest-rally by his party workers here today.
"People from across Assam came to peacefully express their feelings about the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress Government, which failed to look into their problems. But Gogoi unleashed violence through the police and kept party workers away from reaching Guwahati," Sonowal told a press conference.
He said the police "fired, lathicharged and burst tear-gas shells, leaving many party leaders injured and hospitalised".
The minister asserted that people were peaceful keeping in mind the Assembly which was in session.
"By this action the Tarun Gogoi government has made it clear that it does not believe in democracy and listening to the voice of the people. It indulged in a shameful act," Sonowal said.
Alleging that the Congress Government failed to give security to the people and pushed them to the brink, the BJP leader threatened that "the people will throw it out as it does not believe in democracy".
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Sonowal said, "Our MLAs are suspended from the Assembly so that they cannot speak about the people's problems there. They are not allowed to even talk outside."
The BJP state president was also critical of Congress sending former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Parliament from Assam for 23 years, alleging Singh was PM for 10 years and Gogoi was the CM during that period.
"What development did they bring to Assam," he wondered, saying "seven BJP MPs from the state met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing development to Assam and he immediately directed his ministers to visit here every fortnight to undertake development programmes".
"Could Tarun Gogoi do so," Sonowal questioned.
Earlier in the day, Gogoi came down heavily on BJP's 'Dispur Gherao' protest, saying it was aimed at creating a law and order problem so that President's Rule can be imposed in the state.
Gogoi also accused the BJP of trying to cause communal clashes and encouraging extremists, including both insurgents and jehadis, in Assam.
In response to Gogoi's charges, the BJP chief said, "Whenever Tarun Gogoi hears BJP's name, he gets scared and makes uncontrolled statements.
It is the state government which was creating such situations, he claimed.
Sonowal said, "We have been asking him to give accounts of central funds. Even the CAG has asked this. Because they have siphoned off the money, they cannot give any account."
On the party's 'Dispur Gherao' protest being stopped today as permission was not granted by the authority, BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that a written application was filed in advance and till last night nothing in writing was received to the effect that permission was not granted. As such it was deemed to be granted.
