Assam Assembly Day 2: Crime spike fuels Opposition protest, minister hits back at Akhil Gogoi
AT Photo: Raijor Dal legislator, Akhil Gogoi (left); and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika (right) in the Assembly
Guwahati, Aug 27: The Opposition picked up right where it left off as the autumn session of the Assam Legislative Assembly entered its second day on Tuesday.
The turmoil that marked the first day continued today, with Opposition parties—primarily Congress and Raijor Dal legislators—staging demonstrations within the Assembly premises before the session began.
Protesting against a range of issues, including the rise in crimes against women, alleged atrocities against minorities, and what they described as a “complete breakdown of law and order” in the state, Opposition members called on the government and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to adhere to “raj dharma” (righteous governance).
Brandishing placards and shouting slogans against the government's alleged failure to ensure the safety of women, Congress MLAs, along with Raijor Dal’s lone MLA Akhil Gogoi, staged a protest near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Assembly premises.
“We have analysed data over several years and concluded that cases of rape have increased under the BJP's rule compared to Congress'. In recent days, Assam has witnessed an unprecedented surge in crimes against women. The Home Department has been selective in registering complaints of such crimes, often targeting specific communities,” said Debabrata Saikia, Leader of the Opposition.
Echoing Saikia’s concerns, Akhil Gogoi condemned the alarming rise in crimes against women, drawing a parallel with mythology. Holding up a poster depicting the scene from the Mahabharata where the Kauravas attempt to disrobe Draupadi in Dhritarashtra’s court, the Sivasagar MLA highlighted the severity of the situation with statistics.
“Draupadi's ‘vastra haran’ is happening in Assam today. Every day, 3.5 women are raped in the state. In the last eight years, 17,704 women have been raped. Assam tops the infamous list of states where women are least secure, yet law enforcement has ceased registering cases. Instead, the government is playing politics over the issue,” Gogoi asserted, sharply criticising the administration.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika has hit back at Gogoi, levelling a serious allegation by accusing him of being the “sponsor” of those who are involved in crimes against women.
“Akhil Gogoi has portrayed the Chief Minister as Dhritarashtra (in the poster). The majority of those who commit crimes against women belong to a certain community, and Gogoi is their sponsor. He’s like the elder brother, Duryodhan, to these Dushasans, and our government will take action against each one of them,” Hazarika stated.
Amidst these fiery exchanges, the second day of the Assembly session is set to be another turbulent affair. With four Bills slated to be tabled today, the atmosphere in the Assembly is already heating up.
