CM Sonowal ‘Failed’ Assam: Lurinjyoti Gogoi joins AJP

Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur stand fully excluded from the ambit of the CAA

Time8 Webdesk
December 16, 2020
4:18 pm

GUWAHATI: Coming down heavily on Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, former All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi said that the chief minister has failed the people of Assam.

Gogoi who joined the newly formed regional party of Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP) on Wednesday during its ongoing general convention in Sivasagar, said that the threat of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) continued upon Assam due to the ‘timid’ approach of Sonowal.

On Wednesday, he said, “If the chief ministers of other north-eastern states can take stand for their own people and managed to get ‘Inner Line Permit’ (ILP) system for their protection, why our state government can’t ask for the same mechanism for Assam? The reality is our leaders in the government have lost their self-esteem, pride and become puppets of Delhi.”

The demand for ILP gathered momentum in the northeast following the passage of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which is now CAA.

Though several other NE states’ chief minister also backed the demand and sought to be out of the purview of CAA, the Assam chief minister allegedly did not follow the suit. Interestingly, the Centre later decided to allow ILP in all the states who were demanding for it.

Now three states— Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur — stand fully excluded from the ambit of the CAA. Three other states — Nagaland, barring Dimapur where ILP is not applicable; Meghalaya, barring Shillong, and Tripura, barring non-tribal areas not covered by Sixth Schedule of the Constitution — are already more or less insulated from its provisions.

“The leaders of these NE states have shown that when it’s a concern for their community, they are ready to take firm stands. People of Assam need politics of value and leaders who work for the greater interest of the community. AJP is committed to bring politics of value and true regionalism with uncompromising agenda,” Gogoi added.

The constitution of AJP will also be placed during the convention. AJP was an offshoot of the anti CAA movement when AASU and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) announced to float a political party to contest BJP in 2021 state polls.

The new political entity has given the slogan of “ghore ghore aami” (we in each and every household). Gogoi likely to become the first president of the party.