Assam Government Seeks CBI Probe into Upper Assam Floods

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pushed for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the floods currently hitting Sivasagar, Charaideo, and the rest of Upper Assam. The state cabinet finalized this move on November 3. Officials plan to ship a formal request to the federal government within 10 days. The final call on launching the probe rests solely with the Centre and the CBI.

This push for a federal investigation follows an intense standoff between the state and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi. The Sivasagar MLA began an indefinite satyagraha on October 2. He halted the protest on October 15 after face-to-face talks with ministers Pijush Hazarika and Keshab Mahanta.

Gogoi claimed the state government bungled the disaster response. He disputed the official count of 55,000 affected families, asserting that more than two lakh households actually suffered losses. He pushed for a new, honest assessment of the damage. Regarding the financial aid, the MLA stated, "the amount was insufficient to address the losses caused by the floods."

Gogoi further questioned the impact of the Rs 1,200 crore federal package. He also accused the state of failing to report the true scale of the disaster to Delhi. Additional controversy surrounds an ONGC contribution of Rs 20 crore, which Gogoi claims remains locked away from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. He previously challenged the BJP to join a democratic push for full compensation, promising his support if they stepped up.