Congress boycotts Assam Governor address

The Central Hall of the Assembly was decorated in a saffron-heavy colour scheme ahead of the Governor Jagdish Mukhi’s address and the customary tea party that follows. The Congress labelled it “saffronisation of Assembly” where “saffron tea” was offered.

Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi alleged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was controlling the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and a few other top officials of the State.

Particularly harsh on chief secretary V.K. Pipersenia, Mr. Gogoi accused him of aiding the RSS impose its Hindutva agenda in a religiously, linguistically, culturally and ethnically diverse State.

“It is very apparent that Pipersenia is working for the RSS. We have evidence of him meeting RSS leaders and attending the organisation’s meetings,” Mr Gogoi told newspersons.

Mr Gogoi doubted State police chief Mukesh Sahay’s neutrality too. “I have a suspicion the DGP follows the diktat of the RSS but I have no evidence to assert,” he said.

While Mr. Pipersenia did not respond to messages, Mr. Sahay declined to comment on Mr. Gogoi’s remarks.

“I am clear about my job, which is to maintain law and order. I am a public servant bound by rules and governed by the country’s Constitution,” Mr Sahay told The Hindu.

Mr. Gogoi also criticised Sarbananda Sonowal’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government of trying to purge religious and linguistic minorities in the state through the exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

“They (minorities) are being left out on a large scale, and this is nothing but a conspiracy scripted by RSS,” Mr Gogoi alleged.

The first draft of the updated NRC was published at the stroke of December 31 midnight. The list contained the names of 19 million people out of the total 32.9 million applicants.

But only 10% of the names of applicants across 11 districts dominated by religious and linguistic minority groups were accommodated in this list, leading to conspiracy theories though NRC state coordinator Prateek Hajela said those left out need not worry.

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