India News | When Will BJP Hike Tea Workers’ Daily Wage: Opposition AJP Asks PM Before His Assam Tour

Guwahati, Feb 23 (PTI) Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to witness a mega Jhumoir dance recital, the opposition Assam Jatiya Parishad on Sunday posed a set of 17 questions and asked when will BJP fulfil its poll promise to hike minimum wage of tea garden workers in the state.

Modi will arrive in Guwahati on Monday for a two-day tour, during which he will witness the performance of Jhumur, a folk dance form of the tea tribe community, to mark 200 years of the tea industry in Assam.

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“What permanent measures will the government take to ensure wage hikes for tea garden workers and prevent livelihood threats caused by the reduction of tea garden areas?” AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi and General Secretary Jagadish Bhuyan said in a joint statement.

The statement pointed out that the BJP in its 2016 Vision Document had promised to increase the daily wage of tea workers to Rs 351.33.

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“However, as of now, tea workers in the Brahmaputra Valley receive only Rs 250, while those in the Barak Valley get Rs 228. Even the Prime Minister himself acknowledged in his speech that Assam’s tea workers receive lower wages,” the AJP claimed.

Additionally, the Assam government has enacted a law allowing 10 per cent of tea garden land to be used for non-agricultural purposes, paving the way for hotels, resorts and other commercial establishments, the party said.

“This has raised concerns about the shrinking of tea garden areas and the resulting job losses for tea workers. These two policies of the BJP government contradict each other. How does the government plan to address this contradiction and ensure both fair wages and job security for tea workers?” the AJP asked.

It also wondered when the six indigenous communities of Assam will be granted the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

“For nearly two decades, the BJP has promised ST status to six communities in Assam but has taken no concrete steps. Why?” the party questioned.

Assam’s Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea-Tribes communities have been demanding ST status for many years, while multiple assurances by many senior BJP leaders and ministers for granting the reservation are being offered regularly.

Modi will also inaugurate the two-day Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit on Tuesday in Guwahati.

“When will the corruption allegations against Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his associates be investigated? Allegations of land scams and financial irregularities involving the Assam CM’s family and associates have surfaced,” the AJP claimed.

It also questioned the PM when will the process of identifying and deporting illegal foreigners from Assam be completed as promised before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The regional party also asked several other questions on various issues like Assam Accord, illegal coal mining, corruption, huge number of toll gates, big dam, price rise, flood havoc, vernacular medium government schools and farmers’ income.

“Despite calling Assam an essential part of India’s development, the BJP government has consistently failed to fulfill its commitments. The people of Assam had voted for the BJP with high hopes, only to face betrayal,” it alleged.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, Pune Media Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

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