Kharge announces Cong's '5 guarantees' for Assam; pledges monthly cash transfer to women

Naoboicha (Assam): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday announced his party's "five guarantees" for poll-bound Assam, with a focus on women's welfare, healthcare for all, land rights and justice in the Zubeen Garg death case.

He also took a swipe at the BJP-led government in the state, accusing it of indulging in rampant corruption and working "to fill the coffers" of its leaders in Delhi and their families.

Addressing a rally at Naoboicha in Lakhimpur district, Kharge listed the party's "five guarantees", which include an unconditional monthly money transfer into every woman's bank account, along with an additional Rs 50,000 assistance to women willing to set up or expand a business.

"Our transfer will be unconditional. It will not be like what the BJP government is doing, where women are asked to be members of their party," he said.

The Congress, which is looking to wrest power from the BJP in the state, pledged Rs 25 lakh cashless health insurance for all families, permanent land pattas for 10 lakh indigenous people and Rs 1,250 per month for senior citizens of the state.

A dedicated department will also be established to oversee matters concerning the elderly, Kharge said.

"We also pledge to ensure justice in the Zubeen Garg death case within 100 days of Congress coming to power," he added.

The Congress president described the "five guarantees" as the party's "blueprint for a complete transformation of Assam".

He added that the party's pledges address the needs of every section of society, including youth, farmers, small entrepreneurs, tea garden workers and women.

Kharge asserted that his party would fulfil all promises made to the people of Assam, and said that Congress governments in Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh have implemented all of its poll promises.

Alleging rampant corruption by the BJP-led Assam government, the Congress president claimed that even the family members of the ruling party's leaders are involved in graft.

"Just one family in Assam has 12,000 bighas of land. Land has been given to Adani and Ramdev. Government land is being looted," he alleged.

Claiming that the BJP was "using its 'double engine' in Assam to loot and fill the coffers of its leaders in Delhi", Kharge said, "Ali Baba and 40 thieves must be stopped. Ali Baba is sitting in Delhi, while his 40 thieves are scattered across various places."

'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves' is a story which is part of the 'One Thousand and One Nights', a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales.

He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "seeking support for such a corrupt government".

Taking a swipe at Modi for his delayed visit to ethnic strife-hit Manipur, Kharge said it was Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who "walked through the violence-hit state" to reach out to its people.

The Congress president termed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma "'nakli' (fake) CM" and pointed out that the BJP had fought the 2021 elections with Sarbananda Sonowal at the helm.

"But after the elections, Sarma removed tribal leader Sonowal to grab the Assam CM's chair," he claimed.

Referring to Sarma's Congress roots, Kharge said, "He was born and raised with us, but he betrayed us. No one should vote for such a person."

Contrasting Sarma with the state Congress president and the opposition alliance's chief ministerial candidate Gaurav Gogoi, the veteran leader said, "Here is a youth leader with whom I have worked and who has a clean image."

Kharge also referred to an old X post of the chief minister, in which he had mentioned the caste system among Hindus, and said, “Sarma had said that Dalits are born to serve. He later deleted the post, but it shows his mindset. The BJP has made such a person a chief minister."

He accused Sarma's government of intimidating people and creating a fear psychosis among them. "Sarma threatens people by putting them in jail who oppose him. Uses bulldozers," Kharge claimed.

"The BJP and its allies are engaging in divisive politics to create rifts in society. The chief minister of this state is infamous nationwide for his hate speech," Kharge claimed.

In contrast, the Congress ideology is based on the teachings of Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva, who showed the path of equality and humanism, the party president said. "The ideology of the RSS and the BJP is steeped in discrimination."

Kharge also recalled the legacy of Congress leadership in the state, from the first chief Gopinath Bordoloi to Tarun Gogoi, and urged people to strengthen the party and bring it to power.