GUWAHATI, December 29 (Agencies): The AGP on Wednesday rubbished chief minister Tarun Gogoi's allegation that Maoists were part of the anti-dam movement in the state. AGP, which is also supporting the cause, said the Congress government was trying to malign the image of the protesters by bringing the Red link.
The reaction came immediately after Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday remarked that the anti-dam agitation, which has rocked the northern bank of Assam, is backed by insurgent groups and Maoists.
"The anti-dam movement is nothing new. AGP and some other groups have been opposing the mega dam for a long time. Neither Maoists nor rebel groups are backing the movement. It's a democratic public agitation. It's a ridiculous remark from the chief minister. It's nothing but an insult to the sentiments of people of Assam who are fighting for their basic rights," said AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary.
Patowary asked the government to sit with anti-dam protesters, along with dam experts, to restore peace in the Lakhimpur district. "It's suspicious why the state government is not holding discussions with the protesters. Even the Tarun Gogoi government is not ready to implement the recommendations of the expert committee. Apart from it, the government is trying its muscle power to dominate the movement. The government must leave its fascism and pay heed to the public cry," he added.
AGP further appealed all civil society organizations, political parties and non-political groups to join hands for strengthening the anti-dam movement. The party president urged all to form a common platform to oppose construction of mega dams. "Every political and non political party, environmentalists, civil society and student bodies should join hands to strengthen the anti-dam movement. If we don't stand in a common platform with the same objectives, the Congress government will try to break the momentum. We must realize this now and act," he said.
