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The Rediff Special

'Mahanta has betrayed the people of Assam'

Bhrigu Kumar Phukan, former home minister and Asom Gana Parishad rebel, blasts his friend-turned-foe.

How would you evaluate the performance of the Prafulla Mahanta government?

This time, when the AGP government came to power again, the people were thinking that it would fulfil their hopes and aspirations. But the present government has done nothing for the people.

If it continues like this, the AGP's future is finished. It has lost all public support in 18 months.

What's gone wrong?

Even after 12 years, there is no political culture in the party. They are only hankering after power and money. People will never forgive us if we indulge in corruption, if we commit public nuisance. They have a different image about us, and so if our ministers start behaving like the Congress, the people will not tolerate it.

Were you suspended because you tried to point this out?

There is no internal democracy in the party. When I raised the question of 'one man, one post', they changed the party constitution overnight to enable Mr Mahanta to hold both.

And when I demanded that the government act property and fulfil its commitment to the people, they suspended me from the party.

Do you hold the CM responsible for this?

Before the election, Mr Mahanta was a different type of man. After he came to power, he is quite different. He is surrounded by some bad elements and he works on their advice. There is no difference between him and the Congress leaders. Hiteswar Saikia, though my opponent, was at least a capable administrator. But this man doesn't even know how to run the administration.

You've worked with Mahanta since the student agitation days. How do you explain this sudden change?

During the student agitation, he was just the (AASU) president. All the work was done by me.

Anyway, this time, power seems to have completely changed him. And my personal feeling is that there is some political blackmail going on. He is involved in the LoC scam, so the Centre must have told him that if he does not do what they tell him, his government will be in trouble. So, he is just doing all this to keep his seat.

The Centre is taking full advantage of the incapability of the chief minister. This is a puppet government, and the Centre is doing what it likes.

What about Mahanta's promises to the people?

Exactly. He made so many promises and he has failed to keep even one. Why Why give people false hope?

Look at the way he is tackling the insurgency problem. Every day some innocent youths are being killed; women are being raped; and so many people are being tortured. What is this?

Do you feel the government should take the first step?

Yes. I had already given a suggestion to the chief minister to withdraw the Unified Command for one month only; appoint a three-four member peace committee and invite the insurgents for talks anywhere, Assam, Delhi, London.

But the CM told me, the Centre is not agreeing!

What about the tea controversy?

That is a ploy to divert attention from the LoC scam and the non-performance of the government. These tea companies aren't paying money because they support the extremists. They are paying out of fear, to save their lives, because the government cannot provide them protection.

And they are now being branded anti-national...

If they are anti-national, Mr Mahanta is also anti-national because he had taken help from ULFA.

He did?

Yes, he took ULFA's help during the election. And later, ULFA realised he had betrayed them.

Are you planning to expose Mr Mahanta?

will not allow him to ruin the interests of the people, and the interests of the state. I am hopeful that I will be able to establish that his leadership has totally failed and that he has betrayed the people of Assam.

-- Interviewed by Sumit Das Gupta/Guwahati. Kind courtesy: Sunday magazine.

The Rediff Special

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