Gaurav Gogoi slams Himanta Biswa Sarma govt's decision on arms licences in Assam– 'dangerous step towards lawlessness'

Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi has condemned the Bhratiya Janata Party government's decision to give arms licences to indigenous people in the state. Gogoi said the move is a "dangerous step" backwards towards "lawlessness and jungle raj".

Gogoi said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma must reverse the decision immediately and focus on restoring public trust through responsible leadership.

Chief Minister Sarma said on May 28 that the Assam government will give arms licences to indigenous people living in "vulnerable and remote" areas for instilling a sense of security in them.

"I strongly condemn Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's decision to distribute arms to civilians in border regions of the state," Gogoi, the Congress leader, said on X.

People of Assam deserve jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, not guns, he said.

"Instead of strengthening police and border forces, the government is intent on distributing arms amongst BJP-RSS sympathisers and local criminal syndicates. This will lead to gang violence and crimes based on personal vendettas. Local businessmen and traders are bound to be harassed," he said.

'This is not governance'

"This is not governance, this is a dangerous step backwards towards lawlessness and jungle raj," Gogoi, who is also deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said.

"This decision reflects not public concern, but electoral concerns. The Chief Minister must reverse it immediately and focus on restoring public trust through responsible leadership," he said.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, CM Sarma had said the decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet after reviewing the "demand" of the people living in these areas.

"Assam is a very different and sensitive state. Assamese people living in some areas have been feeling insecure and they have been demanding arms licences for a long time," he had said.

In the backdrop of recent developments in Bangladesh and the state government's recent drive against suspected foreigners, the indigenous people in such areas feel that they might be attacked, Sarma had said.

"The government will be lenient in giving licences to eligible people, who have to be original inhabitants and must belong to the indigenous community living in vulnerable and remote areas of the state. It will give additional courage to them," he had said.

(With PTI inputs)