Guwahati, April 5 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Bhupen Borah, who is contesting from the Bihpuria Assembly constituency in the April 9 Assembly election in Assam, on Sunday, alleged that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi has been given a "script" by Assam Congress President and MP Gaurav Gogoi and that it is based on "immaturity".
Borah was associated with the Congress for 32 years, including his 13 years stint as the Assam Congress President.
He alleged that LoP Rahul Gandhi was provided a script by Gaurav Gogoi.
He told IANS, "With due respect, I told Rahul Gandhi that the script given to him by Gaurav Gogoi is based on immaturity."
Referring to the Congress manifesto which mentioned that the party would ensure justice in the Zubeen Garg case within 100 days after coming to power in the poll-bound state, the BJP candidate said, "It should not have been said that we will ensure justice to Zubeen Garg in 100 days. Rahul Gandhi is himself out on bail in several cases. He, himself, is not able to get discharged from court and instead is ensuring justice for Zubeen Garg in 100 days."
Expressing disappointment, Borah said, "He (Rahul Gandhi) is not the Chief Justice of Supreme Court neither the Chief Justice of the Guwahati High court", asserting that State Congress President Gaurav Gogoi "actually insulted Rahul Gandhi, by bringing him in Assam".
Borah, while flagging illegal infiltration, told IANS, "Few days back in a Gaurav Gogoi rally, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi told the people that if Congress returns to power in Assam, Bangladeshis will get land and houses (in the state)."
Defending the eviction drive in the state under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP leader said, "Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ran eviction drive in the state with the support of the people. As much as 1.5 lakh bigha land was emptied, it was government's land. The government needs land to bring industries, solve problems of unemployment."
He also accused the Congress of being against the eviction of illegal infiltrators in Assam.
Moreover, Borah also referred to an allegation made by Congress leader and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, that the Central government pressured semiconductor firms to pick Assam and Gujarat over Karnataka, questioning the talent and ecosystem in those states.
"Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge gave a statement that Assam does not have infrastructure."
Borah also alleged that Gaurav Gogoi supported the Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge.
He said, "Assam takes pride in its one-horned rhino. When Rakibul Hussain (Congress leader) was the Forest Minister here, more than 400 rhinos were killed."
He claimed to have requested LoP Rahul Gandhi during the former's tenure as the Assam Congress President that Rakibul "cannot become the face of Assam Congress now".
He emphasised that not a single one-horned rhino has been killed since the BJP government came to power in the poll-bound state.
Borah also pointed attacks at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for allegedly insulting late singer Bhupen Hazarika.
He accused Kharge for questioning why Hazarika was conferred the Bharat Ratna.
He said, "I told him (Kharge) that you have wrongly insulted Bhupen Hazarika, who has been bestowed with the Bharat Ratna by the BJP.
He claimed to have asked the Congress President to clarify his stand regarding the incident.
"I had asked (Mallikarjun) Kharge to tell the people of Assam that he truly respects Bhupen Hazarika but was misguided by someone," he said.
"Congress is repeatedly committing mistakes," Borah concluded.
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