Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (Press Trust of India photo)
Hitting back at BJP's accusations that Assam's Congress government has been protecting infiltrators, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today wondered why the NDA government at the Centre did not issue showcause notice to him.
Mr Gogoi asked why the BJP government at the Centre, in the last two years, had not discussed the infiltration issue with him and showcause him for allowing trans-border illegal migration and giving protection to infiltrators.
"When the matter is so serious, why bring it out only before elections? It was the responsibility of your Himanta Biswas Sarma who was Assam Accord Implementation Minister in my government to deport illegal migrants. If there are so many foreigners in Assam, why Himanta as minister gave protection to them?" he said.
"I have not given shelter any Bangladeshi. I don't need their votes. It is my constitutional duty to give protection to Indian citizens. It is I who has gone for updation of the National Register of Citizens for identifying illegal migrants," he pointed out.
Mr Gogoi claimed that it was only during his 15-year tenure and not by then Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani that the Indo-Bangladesh border fencing was done, the boundary sealed and riverine police introduced to stop infiltration.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Gogoi said the PM has stopped uttering his 'Achhe din' slogan as he failed to do anything that could bring 'good days'.
"Now (Narendra) Modi has stopped uttering his 'Achhe din' slogan. In the last two years, he has failed to bring prices down, provide employment, deport illegal Bangladeshi migrants," Mr Gogoi said.
"Rather, he gave away Assam's land to Bangladesh, and prices of medicines have gone up," he told reporters.
"BJP wants to bring change only through false propaganda and slogans. In the last Lok Sabha elections, Modi gave the slogan of 'achhe din' and enticed voters through false promises to win. This time (for Assam election) too, their tactics is the same," he said.
The chief minister said BJP is giving the same slogan of infiltration in Assam, migrants snatching away land and jobs.
Accusing BJP of being a party of slogans, he said "Sometimes it is 'India Shining', and sometimes it is 'Achhe din', 'Start up', and 'Stand up'. Its alliance partner AGP's slogan is 'Golden Assam'."
On BJP president Amit Shah asking Mr Gogoi to give an account of his 15 years in government, he said, "Why should I? What did you do about your promise to bring back black money?"