No Difference in my Work and of a Sweeper: Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday said the work done by him and a sweeper were same as both engaged in cleaning the society.

"There is no difference in my work and that of a sweeper. The sweeper cleans the society with broom. My job is also to clean the society," he said in the state Assembly.

Concluding the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the Governor's address, the Chief Minister said his thrust was to strengthen the system.

"My achievement will be to prepare all sections of the society to work honestly for development... If we cannot eliminate corruption, the benefits of schemes will not reach the poors," Sonowal said.

He told the House that tax collection has grown by 17 per cent during the first seven months of his tenure, mainly due to the state government's strong stand against corruption.

Reacting to the Opposition's criticism over the eviction drive, the Chief Minister said it would be an encouragement to encroachers if they were not evicted from government land and it was done irrespective of religious affiliations.

"The Kaziranga verdict was delivered by the High Court during your (Congress) tenure. Why did you not appeal against it? You were not concerned about it. But we will take care of the rehabilitation.

"But, they (encroachers) have to fear the law. They have to follow the law. To live peacefully and with dignity, we must follow law. So, you should not doubt our intention.

Please leave this mentality of doubting us," he said. On updating the National Register of Citizens, Sonowal said the work should not be done hurriedly but in a steady and accurate way.

Regarding efforts to curb pollution, the BJP leader said, "To make the society pollution free, we have to move towards organic industries. We cannot make the future generation handicapped for our present development needs."

Criticising the previous Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government, Sonowal said it could not give details of many Central funds as it had not utilised them properly.

"It resulted in lowering of our position in front of the Central government. We are trying to improve it now," he said adding, his government's thrust is to make Assam free from corruption, insurgency and pollution.