Flood, soil erosion must be declared a national problem: APCC Chief Gaurav Gogoi
About 4,000 sq km of land in Assam has been lost to soil erosion;
Guwahati, June 6: Newly appointed Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Friday urged the Centre to declare flood and soil erosion in Assam as national problems, highlighting the scale and persistence of the crisis.
Addressing a press briefing after a Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting held at Rajiv Bhawan, Gogoi said, “All parties and fronts agree that floods and erosion must be considered national issues. But the double-engine government has failed to acknowledge this reality. Other than deploying SDRF and NDRF teams, the Centre has done little to assist Assam meaningfully, as has been widely reported.”
Senior Congress leader and Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh, also present at the briefing, stated that Assam has lost nearly 4,000 sq km of land to soil erosion—underscoring the urgent need for central intervention.
Gogoi expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Assam on September 8 to inaugurate Bhupen Hazarika's birth centenary celebrations, would sanction the required funds to address these pressing issues.
The PAC meeting also reviewed the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) elections. Gogoi stated that the Congress will contest the polls “with full vigour” and lay special focus on the region.
Jitendra Singh added that there is growing disillusionment within the BTR over the BJP’s repeated violations of the Sixth Schedule. “During the UPA era, Assam and the Northeast enjoyed special status, with the Centre bearing the full cost of development. That has now been revoked,” he said.
Touching on larger political concerns, Gogoi accused the BJP of engaging in “fear, intimidation, and violence” as the 2026 Assembly elections approach. He questioned the government’s commitment to the implementation of the Assam Accord and the NRC.
“We demand that the government follow the guidelines of the Assam Accord concerning foreigners. They speak about the indigenous people, but where is the Assam Accord? Where is the NRC? Now, they are handing out arms to the people to protect themselves,” Gogoi alleged.
On the 2026 polls, he added that Congress is focused on strengthening its organisation and will announce its allies in due course.