Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Raijor Dal marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday as a Black Day on September 17. The party held the protest to spotlight the government’s failure to deliver flood relief in Upper Assam. While the rest of the state lit lamps for Ashirwad Ka Diya programs, Sivasagar MLA and party president Akhil Gogoi took to the streets.
Gogoi demanded accountability for the destruction caused by the July 19 floods. He claims residents in Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Charaideo lost their homes, vehicles, and crops. Families remain empty-handed despite official surveys. "The decision to observe the day as a Black Day was meant to highlight what the party described as the government’s failure to provide timely relief and compensation to families affected by the July floods," said Gogoi.
The protests wrapped up at 4 PM on September 16. The group demanded the immediate firing of state Water Resources Minister Sushanta Borgohain. They also called for the arrest of Sonari MLA Dharmeswar Konwar and Nazira MLA Mayur Borgohain. Gogoi mocked the Prime Minister’s vision of Assam as an engine of growth for the Northeast given the current wreckage.
Long-term disaster mitigation remains stalled. Gogoi slammed the government for ignoring promises to solve the region's recurring flood issues. He also warned that ongoing coal mining near the Assam-Nagaland border poses a major threat to Upper Assam’s stability.
Updated at 18th September 2026 at 9:48am
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pushed back against the criticism by pointing to the state's recent infrastructure gains. He touted projects like the Bogibeel Bridge, the Moran emergency landing strip, the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, and the expansion of the Guwahati airport as proof that the Centre has successfully integrated Assam into the national growth story.
The opposition expanded its protest beyond the Raijor Dal. In Bajali, Congress leader Guptamani Sarma staged a separate demonstration on Thursday, labeling the Prime Minister's birthday 'Loafers' Day.' He wore black to highlight his frustration with the BJP government, specifically citing the unchecked rise in the cost of essential goods alongside the government's perceived silence on the ongoing flood crisis.
Updated at 18th September 2026 at 5:48pm
Sarma hit back at the criticism during the ICC Global Business Summit 2026. He pitched the Northeast as a primary engine for national economic progress, telling business leaders that regional development is tied directly to India's future growth. He used the platform to invite outside investors to bank on the region's untapped potential.
The Chief Minister also framed the Prime Minister's career as a benchmark for public service. Sarma noted that for the past 25 years, Modi has prioritized national security, social justice, and welfare. He publicly petitioned Maa Kamakhya and Srimanta Sankardev to grant the Prime Minister a long, healthy career in government.
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