AGP-P deplores Cong rule in Asom

Guwahati, Sep 19 (UNI) The AGP-P today deplored the ''callous and non-challant attitude'' of the present Congress-Bodo People's Progressive Front ruling combination in Asom.

Addressing a news conference here, AGP (P) president and former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said, ''it is a matter of deep concern that the present state government had utterly failed to tackle the drought-like situation now prevailing in the state and even failed to submit a Memorandum to the Centre giving detailed estimate of losses incurred in agriculture. It has even failed to submit its progamme on ways to mitigate the sufferings of the rural poor, peasants and agriculturists, including labourers''.

He also accused the state government of putting wrong priority on the superficial beautification of the state capital, while the basic infrastructure is going from bad to worse.

The dismal power scenario has been alarming for more than a year now, even though the farce of power reforms in the state and the unbunding of the erstwhile Asom State Electricity Board (ASEB) was trumpeted from the root top by the mandarins of Dispur and the Asom Electricity Regulatory Commission has been created not to help the poor consumers but to offer some nesting place to the ''favoured bureaucrats'' of the curreng Congress regime, he said.

The genuine experts having the necessary skill and background in power engineering are purposely kept at bay, Mr Mahanta said.

The Medical Admission Scam and the fake appointment of teachers in the education sector during the tenure of the Congress in the state, only shows the deep malady of corruption in the government and these are only the tip of the iceberg, the AGP-P president said.

The Panchayat Raj System now being pursued in the state is a sham of self-Government and there has been no real transformation and transfer of power to the elected Zila Parishads. The 73rd and 74th amendment to the Constitution have been dilluted in Asom with active connivance of the state government. In this regard the recent observations made by Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Mani Shankar Aiyer is very distressing.

He also alleged prices of all essential edible goods, fuel, medicines etc. are beyond the reach of the poor people.

The former chief minister further alleged the government had failed to stabilise the price rise and the public distribution system and the so-called fair price shops exist only in paper.

He said the law and order in border areas has deterioated and there have been frequent firing and border violations in Cachar and Dhubri sectors. Jehadis and terrorists are infiltrating through the Bangladesh border and fomenting troubles and social unrest in Asom in collaboration with drug peddlers, arms smugglers and ISI agents.

UNI MT KK PA KP1729