Congress Yatra route upsets AIUDF’s Ajmal
Assam MP Maulana Badruddin Ajmal said the Congress’ state leaders cannot speak up against the BJP as they regularly receive money from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He said only a united Opposition can defeat BJP, but none in Assam Congress has the gut to raise their voice against the ruling party. “They are all paid leaders. They get money on a monthly basis from the CM. Therefore, it is obvious that they will not speak up against the BJP,” Ajmal, chief of minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), said. He was livid that Congress launched the state version of its “Bharat Jodo Yatra” from his Dhubri constituency and not upper Assam, the BJP’s stronghold.
Gharial sightings in Brahmaputra thrill CM
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) has not disappeared from the waters of Assam as thought. Two sightings this year have got Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thrilled. Sharing a video, he tweeted, “Great news for all wildlifers: Gharial was thought to be extinct in the waters of Assam, especially river Brahmaputra. This new sighting becomes important in view of another sighting in March this year in Kaziranga at Silghat.” Listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 as critically endangered, this reptile species is also known as gavial or the fish-eating crocodile. It is among the longest of all living crocodilians.
Rs 5,000 cr for facelift of 1,000 schools
State-run schools in Assam will soon get a facelift. After a recent visit to five such schools in Guwahati, including one where he studied, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said the government would spend Rs 5,000 crore over the next few years to improve the infrastructure of 1,000 state-run schools. The state’s government schools had started in small buildings and later additional classrooms were added. The chief minister wants classrooms in one building so that the remaining areas can be used for other activities. Recently, he had a Twitter war with his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal over the quality of education.
prasanta mazumdar
Our correspondent in Guwahati
prasantamazumdar@newindianexpress.com