Akhil Gogoi calls off satyagraha after talks with Assam ministers over flood relief

GUWAHATI — Raijor Dal chief and Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi on Thursday called off his indefinite satyagraha demanding adequate relief and compensation for flood-affected families following discussions with state Ministers Pijush Hazarika and Keshab Mahanta.

The two ministers visited the protest site and held talks with Gogoi over his demands for assistance to people affected by floods across Assam.

The agitation was withdrawn after the meeting, though details of the discussions and any specific assurances from the government were not immediately available.

Gogoi had launched the indefinite satyagraha on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, seeking full compensation for flood-hit families and action on several issues concerning the state's flood disaster.

The Raijor Dal leader had maintained that he would end the agitation only if the government ensured full compensation to more than two lakh affected families.

A major point of contention was the discrepancy between the number of affected families identified by the government and Gogoi's assessment of the damage.

According to figures cited by the MLA, the government's survey had identified around 55,000 affected families, whereas he claimed that more than two lakh families required assistance. He questioned the methodology adopted for the assessment and alleged that the official figures did not reflect the actual scale of the devastation.

"The government says only 55,000 families have been affected, while the actual number is more than two lakh. This figure is misleading," Gogoi had said.

He had also challenged the BJP to initiate a democratic movement demanding relief and compensation for every flood-affected family, promising his support for such an initiative.

Questioning the Centre's financial assistance, Gogoi argued that the Rs 1,200 crore announced for Assam would be insufficient to address the losses caused by the floods.

He further accused the state government of failing to adequately communicate the extent of the disaster to the Centre and criticised Ministers Sushanta Borgohain, Mayur Borgohain and Dharmeswar Konwar over their handling of the situation.