BJP's 'Paribartan' Is Loot, Suppression: Gaurav Gogoi

State Congress President and MP Gaurav Gogoi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Assam government, accusing the ruling party ministers and MLAs of intimidating media houses and diverting government schemes for personal gain. 

Speaking at a press conference, Gogoi expressed deep concern over the shrinking space for free press and the rising trend of nepotism in the implementation of welfare programs.

"Today, we are witnessing a dangerous pattern where BJP ministers are intimidating the owners of TV channels and digital portals," Gogoi alleged. "This kind of pressure may eventually force these platforms to step back from covering opposition voices. I fear a time will come when no channel dares to carry our news. That is a threat not to us alone but to democracy itself."

He underlined that the Congress, despite limited access to mainstream media, is focusing on social media and grassroots outreach. "We want to maintain cordial relations with the media—regardless of whether they support or criticize us—because for us, media remains the fourth pillar of democracy. But unfortunately, BJP ministers and MLAs are attacking this pillar, trying to weaken or dismantle it altogether," he said.

“BJP’s Paribartan Means Loot of Govt Schemes”

Shifting focus to governance, Gogoi launched a fierce critique of what he called the "systematic hijacking" of government schemes by BJP leaders and their families.

"Earlier we suspected syndicate links. Now, it's out in the open. Ministers, MLAs—even their family members—are directly inserting themselves into government schemes meant for the poor and the marginalised," he alleged. "From the Chief Minister to his cabinet colleagues, this loot has no shame."

Gogoi pointed out the widening economic injustice under the current regime. "A middle-class salaried professional pays income tax. A businessman pays GST and corporate taxes. These are the revenues that fund government schemes. But neither of them are getting any benefit. Instead, these schemes are being cornered by the families of those in power," he thundered.

Taking a jibe at the ruling party's much-touted slogan of ‘paribartan’ (change), Gogoi said: "Is this the change BJP promised? Village women get Rs 1,200 while ministers’ families walk away with Rs 50 lakh. This is not development—it is daylight robbery."

Appeal to Journalists: “Stay Vigilant”

Calling upon media professionals to resist political pressure, Gogoi said, "We urge our journalist friends to stay alert. The intimidation may escalate, but the role of media as a watchdog is more crucial now than ever."

He also warned that continued political interference in media and welfare schemes would only deepen public distrust and polarisation. "If the fourth pillar falls, democracy crumbles. And what we’re seeing today is a deliberate attempt by the BJP to bring that collapse," Gogoi asserted.

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