Guwahati, Oct 14: Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi will end his 14-day satyagraha at the Assam Legislative Assembly premises in Dispur on Thursday after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma assured him that several demands concerning flood-hit families in Upper Assam would be addressed.
Gogoi began the protest on October 2, seeking the release of promised compensation to affected families, a probe into the circumstances surrounding the floods and repairs to damaged roads.
Explaining his decision to end the protest, the Raijor Dal chief said Sarma has asked him to trust the government and give it an opportunity to fulfil its commitments.
“If the Chief Minister is making these assurances, it would be improper for me to continue the satyagraha without giving the government an opportunity to act. I do not need credit for this. I told the government to do the work, and I would give it the credit,” he said.
His primary demand was the release of Rs 15,000 compensation to families that had not received the amount.
He said around 4,000 families in his constituency received the payment during the protest, while compensation has been sanctioned for another 3,064 families.
“The Chief Minister also announced that compensation had been sanctioned for another 3,064 families. Around 7,000 families in total from Sivasagar constituency will benefit from these payments,” Gogoi said, adding that Rs 4.60 crore has been approved for the newly identified beneficiaries.
Gogoi said Sarma had promised to share the updated list of beneficiaries with him over WhatsApp and assured him over the phone that the payments would be made.
However, Gogoi expressed little hope of receiving the additional Rs 10,000, saying, “The government has indicated that the payment would be considered later.”
On his demand for a CBI inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the floods and alleged lapses that contributed to the damage, Gogoi said the government has instead agreed to constitute an expert committee.
“I have accepted this solution half-heartedly, as I am not happy that a CBI inquiry has not been ordered,” he said, adding that the proposed exercise would be civil in nature rather than a criminal investigation.
Gogoi added that the government has suggested his continued protest is delaying the submission of the compensation proposal to the Centre. He said his priority was to ensure that affected families received assistance without further delay.
Meanwhile, the state government has completed three rounds of surveys covering around 57,000 flood-affected families in Upper Assam, with compensation estimated at approximately Rs 1,100 crore.
Sarma had said the proposal would be sent to the Centre and that the state would disburse payments in phases if central funds were delayed.
Gogoi’s sit-in entered its 13th day on Wednesday and is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, completing 14 days of protest.