The nomination of Sanjay Singh, Lok Sabha MP from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh, as Congress candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat from Assam has sparked protests across the State with various civil organisations and political parties opposing his candidature.
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, AASU, Brihattar Asomiya Yuba Morcha, the Biswajit Ray faction of All Koch-Rajbongshi Student Union (AKRSU), among others have decried Mr.Singh’s nomination terming it as a betrayal of the people of Assam by not selecting a local person as an outsider cannot solve the State’s problems.
KMSS activists held a demonstration in Wednesday in the hotel where Mr.Singh is staying and shouted slogans asking him to go back and that he will not be acceptable to the people. The All Assam Students’ Union strongly criticising the Congress for nominating Mr.Singh as its candidate burnt effigies of Mr.Sanjay Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and APCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita across the State.
“Ms.Sonia Gandhi and Mr.Rahul Gandhi have insulted the people of Assam by imposing Mr.Sanjay Singh who has no connection with the State. By accepting him, Mr.Tarun Gogoi and Mr.Kalita have also insulted the people of Assam,” claimed AASU adviser Dr.Samujjal Bhattacharya before the media.
“When all other States refused to accept Mr.Singh as their representative in the Rajya Sabha, Mr.Gogoi and Mr.Kalita accepting him is against the interest of the people of Assam,” Mr.Bhattacharya alleged.
“The Congress decision to nominate Mr.Singh who hails from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh is bizarre and shocking. Mr.Singh has been imposed on Assam when he has no connection with the State, its people, culture, heritage, politics,” Mr.Bhattacharya asserted. “We demand 100 per cent reservation of the Parliament seats from Assam for the indigenous people. Assam will not be allowed to be a dumping ground for politicians from other parts of the country,” Mr.Bhattacharya stated. Mr.Bhattacharya pointed out that the AASU has been demanding that all the seats from Assam in Parliament, Assembly and local bodies be kept reserved for indigenous people of the State. The AASU leader said,“they did not oppose when Assam’s land was given away to Bangladesh or when Mr.Singh was imposed. To keep his post, Mr.Gogoi will go to any length“. Mr.Manmohan Singh started his political career as a Rajya Sabha member from Assam to become Prime Minister. However, he never took any initiative to solve the burning problems of the State, he said, adding that there is no chance of Mr.Sanjay Singh doing something worthwhile for the State.
“As a mark of protest we are burning their effigies. On Thursday we will take out their ‘funeral procession’ throughout the State,” said AASU president Sankar Prasad Rai. The Brihattar Asomiya Yuba Morcha in protest demonstrated before the Assembly here on Tuesday when Mr.Singh was filing his nomination papers and also burnt his effigy along with Mr.Gogoi and Mr.Kalita’s in Tinsukia district. Opposing Mr.Singh’s nomination, AKRSU president Biswajit Ray termed it as “unfortunate and we are ashamed of it. Mr.Gogoi by accepting Mr.Singh’s candidature has proved that he has no responsibility towards the ethnic communities."
“At a time when the various ethnic groups in the State are agitating to separate from Assam for self-determination, Mr.Gogoi and Congress in the interest of keeping them united with the State should have nominated a candidate from among them,” Mr.Rai told PTI today.
“It is unfortunate that the then Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia brought Mr.Manmohan Singh to be Rajya Sabha representative of Assam 23 years ago. Today Mr.Tarun Gogoi has brought Mr.Sanjay Singh. Both denied representation of indigenous ethnic communities and only used them as vote bank." Meanwhile, the opposition BJP, AGP and AIUDF protesting the Congress nomination have put up a combined RS candidate, prominent journalist and critic Haidar Hussain.
