Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Wednesday, launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the ruling dispensation represents a "double slavery" model of governance, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma operating in a hierarchical chain of control.
Addressing an election rally in Nazira, Priyanka Gandhi claimed that the Prime Minister functions under the influence of the US, while Chief Minister Sarma, in turn, follows directive from PM Modi. "This is not a double-engine government as they claim, but a 'double-ghulami' government," she said, intensifying the Congress' criticism ahead of the Assam Assembly elections.
She also accused the BJP-led state government of prioritising the interests of large industrialists over the welfare of the people of Assam. Priyanka Gandhi alleged that the state's natural resources, including land and mineral wealth, were being handed over to select corporate entities, sidelining the rights and livelihoods of local communities.
Referring to the controversy surrounding iconic Assamese singer late Zubeen Garg, who died in a sea outing in September 19 last year in Singapore, Priyanka Gandhi responded to allegations by Chief Minister Sarma that the Congress was politicising the issue.
Defending the Congress' stand, the Congress leader said the matter reflects the emotions of a large section of the population in Assam. "We cannot ignore the sentiments of lakhs of people. It is our duty to stand with them," Priyanka Gandhi said, adding that promising justice within a stipulated time frame should not be seen as political opportunism.
"Saying that we will deliver justice within 100 days is not politicisation, but a commitment," she asserted. The Congress leader also called upon voters to question the BJP's governance record and urged them to support a government that prioritises people-centric policies and accountability.
Her remarks come amid an intensifying political battle in Assam, with both the BJP and Congress sharpening their campaigns and trading allegations in the run-up to the state elections.