Why did Priyanka Gandhi get a big responsibility in Assam? Learn about the political signals behind this decision
In Assam, the Congress party has given Priyanka Gandhi a major responsibility, appointing her as the chairperson of the party’s screening committee. This decision was not taken suddenly; rather, several political messages are hidden behind it. Priyanka Gandhi given a major responsibility in the Assam elections New Delhi: The Congress party has appointed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the chairperson of the screening committee for the Assam Assembly elections. This is a decision that is being seen as having far-reaching political implications both within and outside the party. This is the first time that a member of the Gandhi family has been given the responsibility of selecting candidates for a state assembly election. Fear of defections: The political context of Assam makes this decision even more significant. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is not only counted among the influential leaders of the BJP, but he is also a vocal critic of the Gandhi family. In this situation, by giving the responsibility of Assam to Priyanka, the party wants to show that it is fielding the same political leadership in his stronghold that has a strong grip on the organization. The Congress also fears that some party leaders might switch sides before the elections. Defections are not new in Northeast politics. The Congress has already suffered the consequences of this in the past. Therefore, the top leadership wants to have control over the candidate selection process. It is hoped that Priyanka will promote only those leaders who have a clean image, ideological commitment, and loyalty to the organization so that there is no defection after the elections. The work of the screening committee may seem technical, but it is one of the decisive processes in electoral politics. The main task of the screening committee is to scrutinize the potential candidates from each assembly constituency, their political background, commitment to the organization, social acceptability, and most importantly, the possibility of defection. Although the final approval is given by the Central Election Committee (CEC), the responsibility of deciding which names reach the CEC rests with the screening committee. Assam is not new to Priyanka. Although she may not have been formally visible in the 2021 assembly elections, her role at the strategic level was crucial. The decision to appoint Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as the senior observer for Assam was also part of the same strategy. This time too, Bhupesh Baghel and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar have been appointed as senior observers for Assam. The Congress’s position in Assam is not very weak. In the 2021 assembly elections, out of 126 seats, the NDA got 75 and the Congress alliance got 50 seats. The difference in vote percentage was only 1.6%. The NDA got 43.9% and the Congress alliance got 42.3% of the votes. This shows that if there is better coordination among the opposition, the contest could be tough this time. This is where Priyanka’s role becomes crucial. Signs of a comeback in UP: Assembly elections are to be held in Uttar Pradesh in 2027. UP is the state where Priyanka was in charge of the Congress for a long time. The party is now once again preparing to sharpen its strategy around her. On January 12, Priyanka’s birthday, the UP Congress launched a special 100-day strategy. In the 2022 assembly elections, the contest narrowed down to a fight between the BJP and the SP. This caused significant damage to the Congress. Now the party wants to break new ground by focusing on social justice and OBC politics. The responsibility of the screening committee in Assam and the preparations for 2027 in UP indicate that the Congress is gradually establishing Priyanka in a broader political role. This role is not limited to campaigning but is related to strategy, organization, and leadership. Authored by: Hemant Rajoura • Edited by: Akshay Srivastava About the Author Hemant Rajoura is a Special Correspondent at Navbharat Times. He deeply covers the politics of major opposition parties including Congress, SP, and RJD. He also keeps a close watch on important news related to health, science, and policy. Ground reporting, clarity of analysis, and strong access to reliable sources are the hallmarks of his journalism. Courtesy: Hindi News
BJP mocks Rahul after Priyanka gets key role in Assam elections: Will Congress move set stage for new power dynamics?
NEW DELHI: The Congress move to appoint Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as chairperson of the candidate screening committee for the upcoming Assam elections has added to the murmurs of leadership debate within the grand old party, with the BJP-led NDA claiming internal conflict between the Gandhi siblings. Soon after Priyanka’s elevation, which was announced on Sunday, the BJP claimed that the Congress was divided between camps of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. The Congress, as expected, strongly rejected these claims and slammed the BJP for spreading “manufactured propaganda.” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “The Rahul vs Priyanka camp has been going on for a very long time in the Congress party. All the pressure was exerted by the Rahul camp. ‘Remove Rahul, bring Priyanka’ is happening in Congress. Now even their allies don’t trust Rahul Gandhi. Their own leaders don’t want him; instead, they want Priyanka Gandhi.” The Janata Dal (United) also reacted to Priyanka’s appointment, claiming that Rahul Gandhi’s frequent foreign trips had shifted responsibilities to her. “It is expected that legislative assembly elections will be held in five states. The Congress’s internal matters are handled by a screening committee. Who will handle this work when Rahul Gandhi is abroad? The responsibility has fallen on Priyanka Gandhi. However, this is their internal matter,” JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said. Congress dismisses ‘Rahul vs Priyanka’ The Congress has formally dismissed the NDA’s claims, insisting there is no Rahul vs Priyanka camp within the party. On Sunday, the party defended its decision to appoint AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as chairperson of the Assam screening committee, strongly criticising the BJP for attempting to “propagate” a false leadership contest narrative. The Congress asserted that this was not the first time Priyanka had been entrusted with such responsibilities, recalling that she had earlier served as an ex-officio member of the screening committee during the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Congress MP Tariq Anwar told IANS, “Earlier, she was the general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh when assembly elections were held there. So we cannot say this is the first time. This is the second time she has been given charge of a state related to elections. She will use her political experience and capability in Assam. There is a strong possibility of a Congress comeback in Assam.” “Priyanka Gandhi has been serving as general secretary for the past five years. She has been given organisational responsibilities from time to time and has worked across the country. Therefore, the notion propagated by the BJP is incorrect,” he added. Congress leader Udit Raj also defended Priyanka’s appointment, citing her “wide influence and experience”. Speaking to IANS, Raj said, “She is our leader and has been made chairperson of the Assam screening committee. Her influence is quite wide. She will oversee elections and make selections. She already has experience, and that experience will increase further.” The great Rahul paradox Rahul Gandhi’s position within the Congress is currently stronger than it has been at any point since his resignation as party president in 2019. After years of refusing formal office while leading high-visibility foot marches such as the Bharat Jodo Yatra (2022–23) and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in early 2024, the Lok Sabha election results that year altered the equation. The Congress’s improved performance, winning 99 Lok Sabha seats and securing the Leader of the Opposition post, did something the party had struggled to achieve for a decade: it gave Rahul constitutional weight. That momentum, however, was not sustained. Since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA staged a strong comeback, winning assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi and Bihar. Rahul Gandhi led campaigns raising the ‘vote chori’ charge and spearheaded the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, hoping to replicate the gains of his earlier mass movements. The narrative failed to resonate electorally, and the Congress emerged as the weakest link in the Bihar opposition, winning only six of the state’s 243 assembly seats. Priyanka steps forward At the same time, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has unmistakably moved out of the occasional-campaigner role. Once deployed sparingly for high-voltage rallies, she is now a constant presence, both in Parliament and on the streets. During the Winter Session of Parliament, the first-time MP from Wayanad assumed a leading role for the party. With a smile, she was seen patiently attacking the Modi government during the Vande Mataram debate. The Wayanad MP also was at the forefront when the opposition parties staged a walkout from Lok Sabha to protest against the VB-G RAM G Bill. She led the march within the Parliament premises while holding a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi. Despite Rahul Gandhi’s absence from Parliament, the Congress drew significant attention for its aggressive protests and Priyanka emerged as a prominent face of the party both inside and outside the House. At the end of the session, she also attended the customary tea meeting hosted by Speaker Om Birla and was seen chatting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders from across parties. Whispers within the chambers Though there has been no formal resolution, several reports have quoted “voices within the Congress” urging a larger organisational role for Priyanka, including suggestions that she could serve as party president or national face. After Rahul’s resignation as Congress chief, former MP Abhijit Mukherjee, son of former President Pranab Mukherjee, openly appealed for Priyanka to take over, saying she should heed the “clarion call of lakhs of Congress workers”. Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Anil Shastri has also said Priyanka Gandhi would be the best person to lead the party. Over time, and following successive assembly election losses, these whispers have grown louder. In December, former Odisha MLA Mohammed Moquim wrote to Sonia Gandhi questioning the current leadership and explicitly seeking a “greater central role” for Priyanka. MP Imran Masood has also pushed for her elevation, arguing, “Make her the Prime Minister and see how she responds, just like Indira Gandhi did,” signalling that she should be the party’s main face
Eye on polls, Assam Cong leaders meet Kharge, Rahul to discuss strategies
Guwahati: The Assam Congress leadership, headed by PCC president Gaurav Gogoi, met AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and LoP Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday, focusing on strategies for the 2026 assembly election and mobilisation. Gogoi said the AICC promised full support to make Assam “BJP Mukt”. “From organisational matters to key issues concerning the Assamese society, Kharge Ji listened to Assam PCC leaders,” he said. With an eight-party opposition alliance already formed for the state election, other opposition parties are now finalising their joint strategy to challenge the BJP and its allies. This meeting was held at a crucial time before the political affairs committee meeting of Assam PCC, expected in mid-December, where the focus will likely be on finalising seat-sharing arrangements with other opposition parties. The eight-party alliance, including Left and regional parties in Assam, is facing challenges with candidates from different parties vying for the same seats. “The deliberation centred on a comprehensive review of the party’s organisational preparedness in Assam and the formulation of a robust electoral strategy for the upcoming polls. The AICC leadership offered detailed guidance and strategic directives to strengthen the party’s outreach, coordination, and election-time mobilisation,” said Bedabrata Bora for Assam PCC. The meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday with the top leadership of the AICC was chaired by Kharge and also attended by AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, and AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh. From Assam, the delegation was led by Gaurav Gogoi and included Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia, former APCC President Bhupen Bora, MPs Rakibul Hussain and Pradyut Bordoloi, former MP Ripun Bora, Working Presidents Zakir Hussain Sikdar, Rozelina Tirkey, and Pradip Sarkar. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/limesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Gauhati HC raises concern over lack of job access to transgenders
Guwahati: Gauhati high court said that there is no doubt that there is recognition of the gender identity of transgenders, which lies at the heart of the fundamental right to dignity, but “special measures are still lacking for providing them access to employment.” The court directed state govt to inform it in the next hearing in Feb about whether the proposal, mooted for reservation of transgenders in education and employment, has received the approval of the cabinet. The concern of the petitioner ‘All Assam Transgender Association’ (AATA) was that there should be some allocation of seats for the transgender persons and within such allocated number of seats, male transgenders and female transgenders should be allowed to apply for these seates so as to ensure the same rigor as a binary male and female in the recruitment process. The PIL seeks to address the grievance of the petitioner against the police department in particular, for having published an advertisement recruitment of transgender persons as sub-inspectors and constables, which they claimed to be discriminatory. The court said that in the advertisement in question, provision was made for the transgenders but the number of seats allotted was clubbed together with male candidates. Separate number of seats was fixed for females. During the hearing on Thursday, senior govt advocate D Nath submitted before the court of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury that the matter would relate to the policy decision of the state. “Unless a policy is framed, the director general of police or the recruitment body cannot go for such separate allocation, which would amount to reservation. What would be the percentage of reservation would have to be based on empirical data regarding the number, their social and economic status and other factors,” the advocate submitted. “Since the Supreme Court in 2014 recognised transgender persons as a third gender, the govts of the states were directed to provide them with all kinds of reservation in education and employment, treating them as socially and educationally backward class,” the court said in the order. On this, social justice and empowerment department’s standing counsel RM Das submitted before the court that a proposal has been mooted to recognise the transgender community as a socially and educationally backward class, which will be placed before the state cabinet for approval. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
The Forgotten Assam Freedom Fighter Who Fought Untouchability, Marched With Gandhi, Opened Schools For Dalits And Challenged British Rule
Krishna Nath Sharma, a forgotten Assamese freedom fighter, challenged caste barriers long before it was fashionable. In 1934, he opened his namghar to Dalits alongside Gandhi, enduring a decade of social boycott. From fighting Assam’s opium crisis to supporting the Dandi March and opening schools for Dalit children, his life was a relentless struggle for dignity, equality, and justice. Every so often, history surprises us with a character whose bravery is so understated, so disarmingly gentle, that it almost slips through the cracks of our noisy national memory. Assam, with its floodplains, fierce revolutions, tea gardens and unhurried rivers, has produced several such rebels—people who fought with conviction instead of microphones, with defiance rather than spectacle. Among them stands a man who, despite having walked beside Mahatma Gandhi, challenged caste superstition head-on, opened his sacred space to those the world refused to touch, and still somehow remained a footnote. His name was Krishna Nath Sharma, fondly known across his community as Krishna Mama, and his story begins in a simple prayer house tucked away in Jorhat. Picture this: it is 18 April 1934 in Sabaibandha, a quiet neighbourhood in Upper Assam. A namghar—a traditional Assamese prayer hall—breathes gently in the morning air. It is much like any other, except for one extraordinary detail. Mahatma Gandhi is standing at its entrance, ready to walk inside. Beside him stands the owner, Sharma, a man from a conservative Brahmin family, fully aware that what he is about to do will turn his own community against him. Yet his eyes are fixed ahead. Because for him, the opening of this prayer house to Dalits—sweepers, manual scavengers, ordinary people denied dignity—wasn’t merely symbolic. It was a necessary rebellion against a cruel social order. What followed next was a decade of isolation for his family, a lifetime of activism for him, and the opening of a chapter that deserves a place in every history classroom. This is the story of the man who walked the Dandi March, fought opium addiction, opened schools for Dalit children, challenged untouchability, and still died before seeing the freedom he fought for. The Namghar That Became a Battlefield of Beliefs The Sabaibandha namghar might look unassuming to a passing visitor today, but in 1934 it became a site of remarkable dissent. Gandhi had been travelling across India campaigning against untouchability, and Sharma—who had already begun pushing back against caste barriers in Assam—invited him to inaugurate his prayer house Gandhi accepted. And that decision ruffled more feathers than any of them could imagine. When Dalits stepped inside the namghar that day, they crossed not just a doorway, but a century-old threshold of exclusion. Gandhi lauded Sharma’s courage publicly, telling local media (credit: contemporary press reports): “Valiant soldiers like Krishnanath Sharma never care to face any odds. The temple entry movement will lead the rest of India to remove social evils.” But while Gandhi praised him, Sharma’s own community punished him. Ostracised is too mild a word—his family was shunned into social invisibility. At weddings, guests would walk out if he entered. When his wife, Swarnalata Devi, stepped into a temple, women fled as though her presence would contaminate stone. Yet they persevered. Fun fact: Assam had seen efforts toward egalitarian worship before, courtesy of the neo-Vaishnavite movement of Srimanta Sankardev. But never before had a mainstream Brahmin family taken such a bold stand in the early 20th century—making Sharma’s defiance quietly revolutionary. Meet Krishna Mama: Scholar, Lawyer, Rebel in Cotton Khadi Born in 1887, Krishna Nath Sharma was academically gifted. He completed degrees in science and law—an unusual combination in those days—and launched a successful legal career in 1917. But the courtroom couldn’t hold him for long. Gandhi’s arrival on the national stage changed the rhythm of his life. Soon enough, Sharma abandoned his practice, embraced the Gandhian ethos, and joined the freedom movement. His nickname Krishna Mama originated much earlier, during his student years. Friends found his calm maturity and independent thinking far beyond his age. The name stuck, and soon he became “Mama” not just to friends but to entire communities who admired his guidance. His First Fight: Crushing Assam’s Deadly Opium Addiction Before Sharma battled caste prejudice, he fought a quieter war—against the opium crisis devouring Assamese society. Opium, introduced by East India Company soldiers in the 18th century, had become a widespread menace by the early 1900s. Sharma partnered with Kuladhar Chaliha and Rohini Kumar Chaudhuri, two prominent Assamese freedom fighters, gathering data, interviewing addicts, and documenting the scale of the damage. His conviction was crystal clear: “To save a nation from a ruinous habit, no effort should be spared. The only way is total prohibition.” And astonishingly, he succeeded. Through relentless advocacy, public meetings, and political pressure, he helped shape the movement that pushed Assam towards opium prohibition. Fun fact: Assam was one of the earliest regions in India to enforce large-scale opium restrictions—thanks largely to grassroots activists like Sharma. The Gandhi Connection: From Temple Doors to the Dandi Salt Wind Sharma’s activism stretched far beyond his town. When Gandhi began his anti-untouchability drive in 1933—opening temples like the one in Selu, near Wardha—Sharma recognised it as a moment for Assam to step forward. He invited the Mahatma to his namghar. But that wasn’t their only intersection. Sharma also walked with Gandhi during the historic Dandi March. He became deeply involved in promoting khadi, sometimes cycling through villages with bundles of homespun cloth under his arm, urging people to discard British textiles. And even when British officials repeatedly arrested him, he remained unflinching. The 1942 Garlanding Incident: A Moment So Daring It Feels Almost Cinematic One of Sharma’s most remarkable confrontations with colonial authority occurred on 2 October 1942—‘Soldier’s Day’. His mission was bold: persuade Indian soldiers to support the Quit India movement. According to historian Anil Kumar Sharma (credit: Quit India Movement in Assam), Sharma led a massive procession into Jorhat with a garland in his hand. When armed American military personnel blocked them, he
Bodoland of Assam became the first tribal region in the country, where 15 lakh land records were digitized – know the full story
Bodoland Territorial Region created history, it became the first tribal area of Assam where all land records are completely digitized. This is being considered a big step towards transparency and resolution of land disputes. New Delhi: Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam has become the first tribal council area in the country to completely digitize all its land records. This achievement is considered an important step in the councils formed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. According to officials, more than 15 lakh land-related documents, including text and maps, have been digitized in BTR, spread over an area of 8,970 square kilometers. This work was completed just a few weeks ago, ending the process of manual record-keeping that was going on for decades. Councils under the Sixth Schedule North-east India has a total of 10 autonomous tribal councils under the Sixth Schedule—three each in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram, and one in Tripura. Assam’s Karbi Anglong-West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao councils were set up nearly five decades before the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). The BTC was set up in 2003. The BTC currently administers five districts in north and west Assam. Why was digitisation necessary? The Sixth Schedule gives special rights to tribal areas in matters related to land, forest and local governance. Despite this, these councils face lack of resources, infrastructure challenges and administrative difficulties. The BTR administration has adopted a technology-based governance system to overcome these obstacles. According to officials, the council has made this big change by working on the lines of the e-office system and the Digital India Mission. BTC secretary Dhiraj Saud said the process, which began in 2023, was aimed at bringing transparency in land ownership and simplifying traditional land ownership patterns. “The process involved ground-level surveys in all districts — Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Tamulpur and Udalguri. Old records, including those dating back several decades, were digitised and matched with revenue records and maps,” he said. Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping was also used to ensure accuracy of land boundaries. Boost to Mission Bwismuthi 2.0 This digitisation has also given new impetus to the BTR government’s Mission Bwismuthi 2.0. The scheme, launched earlier this year, gave land rights to 47,000 landless indigenous families, including about 9,000 small tea growers and rubber farmers. In its first phase, 14 land related services were made available and so far more than 2.11 lakh applications have been settled. New digital facility for the public Through the new digital platform, farmers, landholders and common citizens can now get information related to their land through kiosks, mobile applications and web portals. A revenue department official said, “Land disputes in our region have often become a cause of social tension. Digitization will ensure transparency and the chances of corruption, fraud and conflict will be reduced to a great extent.” An example for other councils Officials believe that the digitization of land records and e-office system in BTR has become an ideal example for other autonomous councils of the North-East. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy : Hindi News
‘He indirectly supported SIR’: Assam CM Himanta on Rahul’s ‘vote theft’ claim; cites ‘Bangladeshi names’ in voter rolls
NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had indirectly supported the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls through his recent remarks. Himanta said the revision exercise is necessary in Assam to remove the names of what he called “Bangladeshis” from the voter list. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Sarma referred to Gandhi’s comments on alleged irregularities in voter rolls in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura assembly constituency. Gandhi had claimed that over one lakh votes in the area were fake, duplicate, or bulk voters, with invalid addresses and misuse of Form 6. Sarma said, “Rahul Gandhi has himself given a certificate that SIR should be conducted. There should be a unique name along with an Aadhaar number. He (Gandhi) took some North Indian names. In Assam, we have names of ‘Bangladeshis’ in our voter rolls.” — himantabiswa (@himantabiswa) He added, “The same names are in Barpeta, Guwahati, Kerala and Delhi. It is a disease. That is why SIR is being done in Bihar.” Sarma also claimed that names of deceased persons are still present in the Assam electoral rolls. “That is why it (SIR) is required in Assam. After a long time, Rahul Gandhi has indirectly supported the Election Commission. His claim establishes that SIR is needed. I welcome it,” the Assam chief minister said. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had addressed a press conference in New Delhi, where he alleged a “huge criminal fraud” in elections. He accused the BJP and the Election Commission of working together in what he called a ‘vote chori model” being used in several constituencies. Gandhi said the judiciary should step in as “the democracy that we love so much, does not exist anymore.” He claimed that in Mahadevapura, there was “vote chori” of 1,00,250 votes. According to him, this included 11,965 duplicate voters, 40,009 voters with fake or invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters using a single address, 4,132 voters with invalid photos, and 33,692 cases of misuse of Form 6 for new voters. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
CM warns Rahul, Kharge of legal action
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday warned of potential legal action against Congress’s national leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi if investigation substantiates that their speeches instigated attacks on security forces during an eviction drive in Paikan Reserve Forest in Goalpara district on Thursday. Kharge and Gandhi visited Assam on Wednesday and addressed a party workers’ gathering at Chaygaon, about 40 km from Guwahati. Referring to Kharge’s statement on Wednesday that Congress will rehabilitate the evicted people in the state, Sarma said, “Because of these kinds of speeches, people get encouraged and those evicted people started throwing stones and beating police with sticks and various other weapons (at Paikan).” He said police have registered a case, and “will go through the speeches made by Gandhi and Kharge. If we see that there are elements which invite penal action, they will not hesitate to take action against them”. On Thursday morning, violence erupted in Paikan Reserve Forest and one civilian died and at least 20 people, including police officers, were injured in clashes between encroachers and security personnel. The clash at Paikan is the latest in a series of high-profile eviction operations in Assam targeting encroachment on forest and govt land, a policy vigorously pursued by Sarma’s administration, often accompanied by political controversy. The issue is escalating as a major political flashpoint in the state, with broader implications for law enforcement, communal relations, and the next state elections. Both ruling and opposition parties are increasingly framing the evictions and related violence as key battlegrounds ahead of the 2026 state elections, with legal, communal, and political overtones dominating public discourse. Sarma also said Congress is preparing for 2026 state elections with a “single-point agenda” of attempting to put him behind bars and dismissed Rahul’s remarks about jailing the chief minister, arguing that only the law and judiciary could decide such matters. “He is just an MP today. How can he arrest a chief minister?” Sarma said, adding that even Congress members do not give importance to what Gandhi says. “The big question is whether Rahul Gandhi will be in jail and when. ED has seized many property of Robert Vadra today (Thursday). There are many jails in India waiting for the Gandhis,” Sarma said “There are two cases against Gandhi in Assam, I can bring him in. But my election cannot be Gandhi-centric, it will be on our work for the state. I am not allowing my mind to be diverted, else I would have retorted in ample measure to the threats given to me,” he said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Assam CM announces 50% reservation in supervisor posts for Anganwadi workers; transgender community to get OBC status
NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday announced two key cabinet decisions — a significant increase in reservation for Anganwadi workers in supervisor posts and the grant of social and backward classes (OBC) status to the transgender community in the state. “Earlier, 25% of the supervisor posts were reserved for Anganwadi workers. Now, 50% of the supervisor posts will be reserved for Anganwadi workers. The remaining 50% posts will be recruited through the state-level recruitment process,” Sarma said. In another major decision aimed at social inclusion, the Assam cabinet approved OBC status for the transgender community. “Today, the Assam cabinet has approved to provide social and backwards classes status to the transgender community. We will provide identity cards only to those people in the transgender community who are the original inhabitants of Assam,” the chief minister added Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
ID cards for transgenders originally from Assam: Sarma
Add Your Heading Text HeGuwahati: The Assam cabinet on Sunday classified the transgender community in the state as a socially and educationally backward class.re “Today our cabinet has granted the status of socially and educationally backward class to the third gender, whom we call transgenders. But we will give identity cards to only those who are residents of Assam. This status won’t be enjoyed by those transgenders who are here for various works. It will only be enjoyed by those who are the original inhabitants,” CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said during a press conference, following a cabinet meeting. The cabinet’s decision to classify the transgender community as ‘socially and educationally backward classes’ is in line with the spirit of the direction of the Supreme Court. District commissioners have been saddled with the responsibility to verify an applicants status when issuing identity cards. The cabinet also approved a new initiative called ‘Shradhanjali’, which will support transportation of deceased bodies of students and youths working in other states. The state govt will prioritise covering the costs of bringing back the remains of low-income youth workers who may have died while working in other states, said a govt release. “In this year’s budget, we decided that if youths or students, especially if they die outside the state, the govt will bring back their bodies with respect. Today, the state cabinet has approved a scheme named Shradhanjali. Under this scheme, their bodies will be brought back at the state govt’s expenditure,” Sarma said. From Oct 1, the scheme will ensure easy, lawful, and coordinated transportation of the bodies from other states. According to an official statement, the scheme will primarily be applicable for youth engaged in low-wage employment outside the state and those who have died in exceptional circumstances like murders and accidents. Deaths during medical treatments, outside Assam, have been excluded. A DIG-level officer from the Assam Police special branch will serve as the nodal officer to oversee the return of the bodies. The statement said families can report through local administration, police or by dialling 112. Without formal implementation, approximately 15 bodies have already returned to the state this year, the statement said. Further, the cabinet approved the creation of the Rabha development council for people from the Rabha community residing outside the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) area. The council will implement welfare programmes to enhance the socio-economic, educational and cultural development. In other major decisions, the cabinet approved the Assam State Mineral Exploration Trust Rules, 2025, for establishing the State Mineral Exploration Trust (SMET) to advance exploration of minor minerals such as sand, gravel, stone, granite, limestone, quartzite and china clay. They also approved allocation of a site to Hinduja Renewables Energy Private Limited for a 900 MW off-stream pumped storage project in West Karbi Anglong. “With an investment of Rs 5400 crores, this project will contribute towards achieving the state’s target of 2 GW PSP capacity by 2030,” the release said. The cabinet also approved establishment of Rs 3000 crore SEBI-registered Assam Industrial and Green Growth Fund — an alternate investment fund for Assam with Anchor Investment worth Rs 500 crore in a phased manner to mobilise long-term capital for renewable energy, green infrastructure, priority start-ups, agro-tech, tourism, MSMEs and other priority sectors. The cabinet has also agreed to fill half the supervisor posts with experienced Anganwadi workers, while maintaining direct recruitment for the remaining positions. Moreover, two wetlands in Goalpara and Urpad and Hasila Beel has been designated as proposed reserve forests. The cabinet also approved an increased honorarium for cook cum helpers, under the PM POSHAN scheme from Oct. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.