Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia criticised the Assam Government over the growing tension surrounding the tribal status demand of six communities and the alleged irregularities in the state’s education sector. Speaking to reporters, Saikia said the BJP government had “betrayed” the people with false promises and irresponsible statements.
Saikia said the ruling party had failed to keep its commitment of granting tribal status to the six communities. According to him, the Chief Minister’s recent remarks had created a climate of division and misunderstanding among different groups. He added that such comments had led to a situation where some individuals carried out acts of vandalism at the BTC Secretariat in Kokrajhar earlier in the day.
He said it was unfair for the Chief Minister to blame the Congress every time the government faced criticism. “Blaming the Congress to hide their own failures after being in power for ten years is meaningless,” Saikia said. He also pointed out that the Chief Minister was giving different explanations at different places to justify the government’s inaction. “When he goes to Upper Assam, he says that the Congress stopped them from harming the existing tribal communities. His own words show that he wants to give recognition to the new communities only by affecting the rights of the existing tribes. This is his strategy of division,” Saikia added. 
He further said that the promise of granting tribal status on the 25th of the month had turned out to be false. He accused the BJP government of running a system of “promises and betrayal,” which, according to him, would always be opposed by the Congress.
Meanwhile, on the last day of the Winter Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Saikia said that the Opposition raised strong objections regarding the irregularities in the Education Department and the alleged corruption at Tezpur University.
Saikia said he presented several matters that showed how the education system in the state was suffering due to government neglect. He said many venture schools, especially in tea garden and tribal areas, were facing severe difficulties. According to him, these schools were struggling because they were not receiving mid-day meals, uniforms, or textbooks. Using examples from Amguri and Nazira constituencies, he said that students in remote parts of the state were being deprived due to wrong government policies.
The Leader of Opposition also highlighted the situation in Tezpur University, where, he said, the administration had been almost paralysed for 70 days. Saikia claimed that the Vice-Chancellor had misused funds and made questionable purchases. He said a plastic chair was bought for Rs 5,500 and a basic bed for Rs 18,000, which he described as clear examples of irregularities. He also said there were serious allegations related to recruitment and book procurement. Saikia questioned why the government had not taken any action even when the future of students was being affected.
Saikia also demanded that the government look into the issues related to the Old Pension Scheme for teachers and urged the authorities to relax the policy for the provincialisation of schools that were set up before 2011.
He said the Opposition would continue its struggle to protect Assam’s education system and ensure accountability from the government.
