Assam Opposition Forum Condemns ED Summons to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

The 15-party United Opposition Forum, Assam has condemned the ED summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and demanded that it be immediately withdrawn. The opposition INDIA bloc is, however, determined to stay together and contest the next Lok Sabha polls unitedly.

Guwahati, Nov 1: The 15-party United Opposition Forum, Assam on Wednesday condemned the ED summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and demanded that it be immediately withdrawn, the forum's chief spokesperson Akhil Gogoi said. Gogoi alleged that the ruling BJP was trying to destroy the opposition unity of the INDIA alliance and was using CBI and ED against members of the bloc.

Gogoi Condemns ED Summons

On behalf of the 15 opposition parties in Assam, I condemn the ED summons to Delhi CM on November 2 and demand that it be immediately withdrawn, the Raijor Dal chief said. The opposition INDIA bloc is, however, determined to stay together and contest the next Lok Sabha polls unitedly, Gogoi said.

Opposition to Field Joint Candidates

The opposition parties have decided that they will put up one candidate against a BJP nominee in all the Lok Sabha constituencies across the country in next year's elections, the Sivasagar MLA said. Referring to the construction of large dams in Assam, Gogoi said that a series of accidents at the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project has created a fear psychosis among the people of the state and the 15 opposition parties are also deeply concerned about the impact of the project.

Concerns Over Subansiri Project

Several landslides have blocked the diversionary tunnels and have led to the drying of the Subansiri River on the Assam side, he said. We express our deep concern and demand that both the Centre and the state government, along with the NHPC authorities, once again review the dam construction, he said. An expert committee of the Assam government had pointed out in 2019 that the dam was an unscientific project as it was in a seismic zone with the hills comprising sedimentary rocks, Gogoi said. The project should be immediately stopped and a status quo be maintained for further discussions on the matter.

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Moreover, the Centre's plan to construct 164 dams in Arunachal Pradesh should also not be given a green signal without a proper study on the consequences of these projects on the lower plains of Assam, he said. Gogoi said that if the INDIA alliance wins the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the United Opposition Forum, Assam will ensure that the Subansiri project is reviewed and no further dams are constructed till the cumulative impact assessment of the 164 dams in Arunachal Pradesh is conducted.

The opposition forum's condemnation of the ED summons to Delhi CM Kejriwal and their concerns over the construction of large dams in Assam highlight the growing discontent among opposition parties in the state. The opposition's determination to stay united and contest the next Lok Sabha polls together could pose a significant challenge to the ruling BJP in Assam.