Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi has launched a blistering attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He claims the state government failed to provide a dedicated flood relief package. All current assistance comes exclusively from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Gogoi insists this fund acts as a substitute for actual state aid. The Sivasagar MLA also accused Sarma of failing to make any personal financial contributions to the cause. He stated, "The Chief Minister of Assam has not provided any flood relief so far. The assistance that has been given has come only from the CM Relief Fund, not as a separate flood relief package."
Gogoi alleges that Sarma treats the office like a king rather than a public servant. He criticized a recent directive given to the Assam Police, calling it illegal. The lawmaker argued that the Constitution remains the supreme source of law in a democracy. Meanwhile, the human toll of the disaster grows. Official bulletins report 97 deaths. More than 1.68 lakh people remain affected across 15 districts.
Beyond executive policy, Gogoi targeted Guardian Minister Bimal Borah on August 7. He demanded Borah be removed from his post. He alleges systematic irregularities in how aid reaches victims in Sivasagar and Charaideo. Local residents report that relief often goes to ineligible beneficiaries based on political bias. According to the MLA, BJP ward members misappropriated supplies. One resident faced jail time after exposing the theft. Gogoi urged the Chief Minister to hand over beneficiary list management to neutral village headmen or government officials instead of political workers.
External support arrived from Jharkhand to bolster the state's response. Chief Minister Hemant Soren pledged 3 crore to the Assam Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Soren expressed his distress over the devastation in a message on X. He categorized the donation as a moral responsibility. "In this time of crisis, holding each other's hands is our greatest responsibility," he said. The Assam government has not issued a formal response to the corruption allegations.
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