Releasing the vision document for poll-bound Assam, the BJP on Friday promised to completely seal the Indo-Bangla border in the State to stop illegal infiltration if it comes to power, and also take action against entities employing infiltrators.
Unveiling the “Assam Vision Document 2016-2025 — Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas”, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also accused Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of destroying and changing the demography of the State by allowing infiltration. Assembly polls in Assam will be held in two phases on April 4 and 11.
BJP president Amit Shah, while addressing two rallies at Sibsagar and Sonari, said a party government in the State would take steps to stop illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, alleging Assam has never been safe under Congress’ 15-year rule.
“Assam’s border has been opened as a road for lakhs of infiltrators from Bangladesh to snatch away employment from Assam’s youth,” Shah said, as he urged the electorate to help form an NDA government in Assam and stop infiltration “100 per cent”.
“Congress has been doing it (allowing infiltration) for many decades and took no action,” Jaitley said, adding that if the BJP comes to power, it will work closely with the Centre for “complete sealing of the Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam”.
The vision document said a law would be enacted to sternly deal with industries, businesses, SMEs or any other agencies employing infiltrators.
It further said all encroachments will be removed from forest, religious bodies, wasteland and tribal belts.
Meanwhile, Amit Shah is set to form a team which will travel across States. The team will ensure that the BJP is working towards fulfilling the agenda by complementing the government’s efforts.
Shah-led team
The members of the team, which will include Shah and his deputies — all drawn from the RSS — will travel to various States at regular intervals and spend at least three days and nights at each place, party sources said.
They will also be tasked with ensuring the implementation of organisational decisions taken at the March 19-20 national executive meet of the party.
At the meeting held here, Modi had spent a good part of his speech on the need to orient party workers to the “development” model.
They should focus on the developmental agenda and not be distracted by the Opposition’s negative campaign, he had said in his valedictory address, prompting the party chief to take a slew of measures to follow up on Modi’s exhortations, the sources said. “Shah believes that there should be no gap between the Central leadership’s vision and its execution on the ground.
“It will lead to better documentation and monitoring of organisational work and the priority is publicising the government’s works and connect people with them,” they said.
The team may have up to 10-12 members and each will visit different States. It will report to Shah. The party had also decided that its various cells and morchas will hold meets in different States so that they could “learn” from developments there, as suggested by Modi.
The BJP has also decided to hold its next national executive meet in three months.