Guwahati: Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia took to the podium in Guwahati on July 15. He called the budget presented on July 10 a pro-people roadmap. The document aims to transform the state over the next five years. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who manages the finance portfolio, led the effort. Saikia claimed the budget fulfills specific promises made in the BJP election manifesto.
The mood inside the legislature soured quickly. Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass ordered the suspension of Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi for the rest of the day. The Sivasagar legislator repeatedly interrupted the Chief Minister during the budget session. He questioned state performance metrics regarding the Multidimensional Poverty Index. Gogoi later stood outside the building wearing a black scarf to signal his defiance.
Gogoi claimed he faced expulsion for exposing uncomfortable facts. He cited a NITI Aayog report linking Assam to high poverty levels. He argued that Direct Benefit Transfer schemes fail to solve deep-rooted economic issues. He demanded better planning instead. "Poverty could not be addressed through Direct Benefit Transfer schemes alone," Gogoi stated while speaking to the press.
The debate shifted to volatile topics. Gogoi attacked the government regarding recent police actions in Bihar and his own state. He alleged that 81 people died in Assam police encounters. He called for Supreme Court intervention. He wants accountability for what he termed fake encounters occurring under BJP rule.
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