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GUWAHATI — Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday said Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Home Department have failed in providing security after "bomb-like substances" were recovered from at least 10 places, following ULFA (I)'s claims of planting 24 bombs.
Gogoi slammed the BJP-led government and questioned if police and intelligence wings were sleeping when the outfit had planted the "suspicious objects" across the state.
"If ULFA can plant bombs or suspicious objects at so many places, isn't that a failure of our Home Department and intelligence? In this modern era, we are constantly under surveillance. Our phones are being tapped, I guess my phones are also tapped through Pegasus.
Also read: ULFA-I claims planting explosives in 24 locations across Assam
"ULFA sent a strong message, and I must ask, what were the CM and his Home Department doing? Was the police asleep? ULFA carried out their plan with such precision that no one had a clue! It proves how much our Home Department has failed," he told reporters on the sidelines of a party function in Jorhat.
Gogoi alleged that the Home Department, which is looked after by Sarma, is engaged in protecting the mafia, cow smugglers and syndicate.
"But when it came to giving security to us, it failed. The CM has failed. He failed when he was minister of Education, Health and Finance in earlier governments. Now he has failed as Home Minister also. He has only succeeded as PWD minister in floating super tenders and ordering flyovers in Guwahati and other places," he added.
Police had unearthed "bomb-like substances" from at least 10 places, including four in Guwahati, after the banned ULFA (I) on Thursday claimed to have planted bombs in 24 locations to trigger serial blasts across Assam on Independence Day.
Following the massive security lapse, the opposition demanded immediate resignation of the Chief Minister for "total failure" of his government.
Asked if he will contest against Sarma in Assembly polls in 2026, Gogoi said, "If the party decides, I will contest from Jalukbari (CM's constituency). If it asks me to contest from Jorhat or Golaghat, then I will do so accordingly. Whatever the party decides, I will do that."
The Congress leader said his aim is to fulfill the unfinished dream of his father and former CM Tarun Gogoi regarding development of Assam.
"Everyone understands there has been a political tremor inside BJP after the Lok Sabha elections. Prior to the elections, people from Congress joined the BJP. After the results, now people from BJP and other parties are joining the Congress.
"I assure that if the central government changes or becomes restless, if PM Modi becomes restless after the poll results of Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma will be the first person to leave that sinking ship," he asserted.
Asked about Sarma's recent comment that all property of his family would be donated to the public, Gogoi said the CM has listed only 2-3 property and said these would be donated to the public.
"However, he and his family members have a long list of property, of which only one per cent has been made public. He wants to keep that 99 per cent with him and only one per cent will be donated... Nobody takes his words seriously," he added.