Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday asserted that his party will never implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Assam if it is voted to power in the state.
Launching his election campaign in the state, which is scheduled to go to polls in April-May, Rahul Gandhi said that his party will protect every principle of the Assam Accord and will never implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act if voted to power. The Congress MP also accused the BJP and RSS of creating divisions in the state.
"The Assam Accord has brought peace and it is the protector of the state. I and my party workers will protect each principle of the Accord. There will not be a single deviation from it," he said.
Addressing a public rally in Assam’s Sivasagar, Gandhi said that the state needs its "own chief minister" who will listen to the voice of the people and not one who listens only to Nagpur and Delhi.
"Remote control can operate a TV but not a CM. The current CM listens to Nagpur and Delhi. If Assam gets a CM like this again, it will not benefit the people. The youngsters need a CM who will provide them with jobs," he said.
Gandhi further said illegal immigration is an issue in Assam and exuded confidence that the people of the state have the capability to resolve the issue through dialogue.
Alleging that BJP and RSS are trying to divide the state on the issue of Assam Accord, he said, "If Assam is divided, then Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah will not be affected, but the people of Assam and the rest of India will be affected."
Talking about CAA, the senior Congress leader said that if his party comes to power in the state, the law will not be implemented under any circumstance. All party leaders, including Gandhi, were seen wearing a 'Gamocha' (Assamese scarf), on which the term “CAA” was crossed out.
Taking a dig at the prime minister, the Union home minister and "businessmen close to them", Gandhi said, "I have devised a new slogan for Assam -- Hum do, humare do; Assam ke liye humare aur do, aur sab kuch loot lo." He alleged that natural resources and PSUs in the state are being "sold” to two leading businessmen of the country.
Gandhi also accused the Modi government of "looting" public money during the Covid-19 pandemic and waiving huge amounts of loans of his "two businessmen friends".
He also said that the Congress government under the leadership of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi had brought peace to Assam by ending an era of violence.
(With PTI inputs)
