AGP to divest power to district committees for Panchayat polls

Guwahati, Oct 29 (UNI) Holding the Congress-led Assam government resposible for all the problems in the state, the Opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today announced decentralisation of power and reaching out to the grassroots level to create awareness against the government's 'corrupt practices'.

Addressing a press conference here, AGP president Brindabon Goswami accused the state government of working in a highhanded manner and ignoring the opinion of the people.

Informing about the important resolutions in yesterday's central executive meet of the party, he said the AGP would divest power to its district committees to forge alliance at their level for the forthcoming Panchayat polls, with central party observers to coordinate between the different districts.

He said, ''The Congress has indulged in massive corruption in the Panchayat bodies and our poll agenda will be to expose this.'' Mr Goswami also flayed the state government for failing to ensure ST status for six communities of the state, as a result of which the deprived communities have adopted the agitation route.

He also condemned the 300-hour blockade by the All Koch Rajbonshi Students' Union (AKRSU), during which a passenger bus was set ablaze by alleged AKRSU supporters, injuring 22 people.

Mr Goswami, however, also criticised the arrest of AKRSU president Biswajit Ray yesterday for the incident and added, ''The arrest will not solve the problem. If the government continues with such an attitude, the problem will get further complicated.'' Mr Goswami also criticised the government's role in failing to curb the outbreak of diarrhoea and cholera, which has claimed over 50 lives till now.

The state water policy, which proposes management of vast water resources in the state hitherto untapped also came under scanner of the AGP's central executive body, the party chief informed, adding that the government had failed in mobilising public opinion on the matter at the desired level.

UNI