Land 'illegally' owned by Assam CM to be distributed among poor if opposition comes to power: Congress

Guwahati: Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday said all the land "illegally" occupied by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his ministers will be redistributed among the poor people if the opposition party forms government in the state next year.

After the Extended Executive Meeting of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee here, Gogoi in a press conference claimed that the people of the state are fed up with the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government.

He announced that the Congress will implement reforms in both land and economic policy to support the people.

"Land illegally held by the CM and ministers, acquired under the pretense of safeguarding land rights, will be redistributed to the poor through a decision in the very first cabinet meeting of the new Congress government," he added.

He said that it is his duty to fulfill the declaration made by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi that the people of Assam will see CM Himanta Biswa Sarma behind the bars.

Gogoi accused the BJP-led regime of targeting linguistic and religious minorities with injustice, and launching eviction drives against Bodos, Tiwas, Karbis, Rabhas, Misings and other communities under the guise of development.

He also asserted that these series of evictions were carried out in violation of court orders.

"Unlike the loot and injustice under the Himanta Biswa Sarma regime, Congress is preparing to bring a new government based on progressive land policies and economic development," Gogoi said.

All India Congress Committee General Secretary (in-charge of Assam) Jitendra Singh said the people of Assam now seek change through elections.

"They are yearning to be freed from the misrule of Himanta Biswa Sarma, which has become synonymous with authoritarianism and corruption. Today, not just in Assam but across the nation, every citizen, including children and women, bears a debt burden of Rs 50,000 per head.

"To rescue the country from this unstable economic condition, people are demanding change, and in Assam too, the Congress, under the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi, is preparing to form the next government by defeating Himanta Biswa Sarma in 2026," he added.

Assembly elections in Assam for 126 seats are likely in March-April next year.

The Extended Executive Meeting decided that starting in September, the Congress will intensify its organizational activities and begin a series of campaigns against BJP's alleged corruption.

Gogoi also accused both the Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Biswa Sarma governments of deceiving people with false promises, having failed to implement the various reports and suggestions by different committees.

He noted that the Extended Executive Meeting saw participation from representatives of various communities across Assam and included long deliberations on protecting the rights and interests of indigenous people.

Following these discussions, economic and political resolutions were adopted. These include comprehensive proposals to reform the economy, rescue indebted Assam, create employment, and ensure inclusive and equitable development for all citizens.

"Representatives of various communities have united with Congress, determined to fight the communal politics of BJP and RSS," Gogoi said.

After adopting several resolutions, over 200 members from the Bodo, Karbi, Rabha and tea garden communities formally joined the Congress.

Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi said, "The state is under the grip of a massive loan burden. The BJP government has rolled out dozens of schemes only to get votes in the election."

The range schemes offering direct benefits into people's bank accounts are not helping the beneficiaries in increasing their earnings, he claimed.

"On the other hand, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his close aides have created a parallel economy of syndicates, which collects Rs 12,000 crore of cash every year," he alleged.

Bordoloi said the Congress has passed an economic resolution for raising the income level of the people, especially those in rural areas.

"We aim to increase the income levels of small traders and MSMEs, mainly in rural areas, by taking appropriate policies once we come to power. Solving the mammoth unemployment issue is also a part of the resolution," he added.

Talking about the political resolution, Congress former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora said that the CM, his wife and family members, and his close aides have accumulated huge net worth.

"They are now carrying out eviction drives everywhere, only to divert people's minds from real issues. The BJP government has evicted indigenous people from 55,000 bighas (over 18,100 acres) of land across Assam. We have taken a resolution to highlight these," he added.