By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: After concluding the first phase of Jatiya Setona Jatra – a journey among rural people across Assam – the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leaders said the emergence of BJP and AIUDF will put Assam in danger because of religious polarization.
Starting from Dhubri on November 10, the leaders of AGP – Assam’s prime regional political party – had travelled to various locations across Lower Assam. “It was a great experience for us for the last few days to meet the people from rural areas and know their reactions. The worst scenario is the emergence of BJP and AIUDF, which we regard as the different sides of the same coin,” said AGP president Atul Bora.
AGP leaders during a meeting with the local people during their journey.
“Their way of religious polarization is a threat to our society,” he said.
Bora and his colleagues who have travelled to various interior locations including the minority dominated riverine areas said that a sense of fear has been troubling these areas. “The people of minority community are scared of being harassed in the name of ‘terrorists’.”
“The Muslims in these areas are pretty scared that they will also be targeted. They plead they are Muslims but not terrorists. It is very pathetic situation for the state. The BJP is trying to do politics on the religious lines. We have to give protection to these innocent people,” he said.
The first phase of the AGP’s Jatiya Setona Jatra concluded on November 18 at Rangia in Kamrup district.
Bora slammed the BJP leaders for making communal statements and said, “We have to understand that all Muslims cannot be terrorists or as bad as being projected. Under such circumstances, AGP is the only solution for a secular environment,” Bora added.
Bora was referring to BJP MP Ramen Deka’s reported communal statement during a television debate. After various organizations protested, Deka, however, had blamed the state and the central governments as responsible for the increased violation law and order and also the anti-national activities.
AGP president Atul Bora interacts with a local lady in Kokrajhar during his journey.
On the issue of illegal Bangladeshi nationals, the AGP leadership slammed both the Congress and the BJP governments. “The role played by both the Congress and BJP is suspicious. If the Congress supports the illegal Bangladeshi nationals secretly, the BJP does it openly. And they do it for the sake of votes,” he alleged.
The AGP will continue the Jatiya Setona Jatra from November 25 from Jonai in Dhemaji district. This way, the regional party plans to cover the entire Assam in a bid to get closer to the people and also invite them to join the party. The Yatra is an outcome of the party’s national political convention last month.