Gaurav Gogoi accuses BJP-RSS-VHP of spreading communal hate ahead of polls; Calls Assam CM ‘Asomiya Jinnah’

Assam Congress president and Lok Sabha deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi accused the BJP and its ideological affiliates — the RSS, VHP, and Bajrang Dal — of “deliberately spreading communal tension” to divert attention from their governance failures.

He described the political strategy of the ruling party as “Jinnah-type politics” and vowed not to let Assam fall prey to it.

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Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, Gogoi, on Thursday, said, “There are criminal-minded people in the BJP, RSS, VHP, and Bajrang Dal who thrive on creating communal strife before elections. This is their strategy to polarise communities and hide administrative failures.” The remarks come in the wake of recent incidents where beef and cow remains were allegedly placed near religious sites in Assam, sparking tension.

Demanding a high-level investigation, Gogoi said, “It is not enough to arrest those who carried out these acts. Authorities must also find out who planted the idea in their minds — who gave the instructions, and with what motive.”

The Congress leader’s sharp rhetoric is seen as a response to attempts by BJP supporters to link Gogoi’s elevation as Assam Congress chief to growing communal tensions. Gogoi rejected the allegation, saying, “The BJP is rattled by the fact that people are asking real questions — about jobs, floods, infrastructure, and the identity concerns of Assam’s diverse communities. So they resort to cheap diversions.”

Taking direct aim at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Gogoi accused him of pursuing divisive politics reminiscent of Mohammad Ali Jinnah. “The Chief Minister is acting like an Asomiya Jinnah. We will not allow such divisive politics to thrive in Assam,” he declared. While he did not elaborate on the comparison, political observers say Gogoi is alluding to Sarma’s frequent communal remarks and the state’s increasing polarisation under his leadership.

Gogoi also attacked the BJP government on multiple governance fronts — from the unresolved annual floods to tribal land alienation. Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s earlier promise of digging ponds to mitigate flooding, he asked, “Where are the ponds? We’ve looked everywhere and can’t find them. It’s all headline management.”

He alleged that land belonging to Bodos, Rabhas, Karbis, and Misings was being taken away instead of the Chief Minister offering his own land, as promised.

Further, Gogoi flagged the enduring issue of D-voters in Barak Valley, the government’s reluctance to grant ST status to six communities, and the continuation of what he called “inhuman evictions” across the state. “Congress is standing up for the real issues faced by people, not fake narratives. We are fighting for unemployment solutions, tribal rights, Barak Valley’s infrastructure, and against arbitrary evictions,” he added.