While in Delhi to take part in the Congress’ ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ rally, Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Assam, Debabrata Saikia, on Sunday criticised the BJP-led government over what he described as a systematic misuse of the Constitution and the electoral process.
Addressing the gathering, Saikia said the election system adopted by India after the Constituent Assembly, beginning with the first general elections in 1952, was not designed by the Congress with any wrong intention. He stated that if the Congress had wanted, it could have made the election system far stricter, but such an approach never reflected the party’s ideology. “Congress never believed in asset tests or exclusionary measures,” he said.
Saikia alleged that the present government was distorting the constitutional framework for political gain. He said that the Constitution belonged equally to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Recalling Ambedkar’s own words, Saikia said Babasaheb had acknowledged that the system might not be perfect, but at that time it was the most suitable method available. 
Referring to recent developments, the Assam Congress leader said several processes were being carried out across the country that were affecting the rights of ordinary citizens. He claimed that similar steps had already begun in Assam as well. Saikia said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had clearly raised these concerns in a press conference, questioning the functioning of the Election Commission, which is meant to be an independent constitutional body.
He further alleged that within the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Home Affairs acts as a form of controlling authority over the Election Commission. “Rahul Gandhi openly challenged the Union Home Minister to answer these questions before the public, but there was no response,” Saikia said.
With elections approaching in Assam, Saikia warned that such processes had been indicated earlier and were now continuing in a questionable manner. He said this was the reason a large delegation from Assam had travelled to Delhi to participate in the rally and to show solidarity with Rahul Gandhi. “We will carry this message to every polling station in Assam,” he added.
Speaking on the Assam Accord of 1985, Saikia said nearly four decades had passed since its signing. He accused the BJP government of betraying its promise to protect “jati, mati, bheti” — identity, land and hearth. According to him, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, allows people who entered Assam up to 2014 to settle in the state, which directly contradicts the Assam Accord that fixed March 25, 1971, as the cut-off date.
Saikia also referred to the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which formed states on linguistic lines. He warned that if people from other states were included in Assam’s voter list through what he described as questionable processes, the number of Assamese-speaking people would gradually decline. “If this continues, Assam will slowly lose its identity,” he said.
The CLP leader said that the Congress would oppose the inclusion of non-residents in the voter list through any process, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). He said the party would ensure that only genuine residents of Assam retained their names in the electoral rolls.
Saikia said that the Delhi rally had sent a strong message and that the struggle would continue even after the draft electoral roll is published on December 27. “We will carry forward this fight in a strong and organised manner,” he said.
