@guwahatiplus | /c/gplusguwahati www.guwahatiplus.com Volume 08 | Issue 29 May 15 - May 21 , 2021 Price `10 Lightning strike kills 18 jumbos, COVID 19 crisis creates oxygen black Despite official orders Guwahati clinics fingers point towards habitat market in Assam & hospitals run unregulated rates of protection & safety COVID tests INSIDE PG 03 PG 05 PG 07 Mantra of Rise in insurgency, perform or NRC reverification perish to be & CAA execution top priority key challenges for for Sarma CM Himanta G Plus News release, abduction of three ONGC test the nerves of the Bharatiya government employees of which one is still Janata Party (BJP) leader as a chief @guwahatiplus captive with ULFA (I), are cases minister. in point that will surely not NRC is a sensitive issue and ther than managing make the job easier for the newly depending on how the court COVID-19 situation appointed chief minister. responds it will likely trigger PG No in the state, the new Notably, after taking the responses from those who got - 02 chief minister Himanta oath, Sarma in his first media their names in the final list and Biswa Sarma faces interaction called out the the 19 lakhs people who were left Osome critical challenges such as insurgent outfit ULFA Chief out from the final roll. reining in insurgent activities Paresh Barua to shun the path of Sarma is a master strategist, which are raising their ugly head violence and join the mainstream. and his political acumen has so again in Assam, re-verification of Sarma categorically stated far been hardly matched by his the National Register of Citizens that both the government and rivals in Assam. But the issue of (NRC), and implementation of the outfit have to make moves NRC will be a litmus test for him the controversial Citizenship towards the negotiating table to as the chief minister of Assam. Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 as make peace a long-lasting affair He will also be tested when it soon as it gets the nod from the in the state. comes to implementation of the Centre. Besides this, Sarma also faces CAA. The central government has Within days of taking over the some tougher challenges - that of sought time from Parliament for charge, two people were killed by the issue of re-verification of NRC framing the rules for the CAA. It a grenade blast in oil town Digboi and the implementation of the is learned that both the Lok Sabha Scooters for in Upper Assam. The proscribed CAA. Detailing out his plans on and the Rajya Sabha through ULFA (Independent) has denied the NRC, Sarma said that the state the committees on subordinate its involvement in the incident government will file a petition on legislations are likely to grant an and has alleged that “some the Supreme Court demanding adjournment of the Union Home girl students miscreants” are trying to create re-verification of 20 percent of Ministry’s request. disturbance in upper Assam to names in the final list of NRC. The CAA formed part of the put the government in a troubling NRC Coordinator Hitesh Dev BJP’s election manifesto in the situation when the state is reeling Sarma has filed a petition in recently concluded Assembly remain unused in under COVID-19 crisis. the Supreme Court seeking a elections in Assam. For Chief Minister Sarma the complete, comprehensive, and If Sarma succeeds in task is cut out, the insurgent time-bound re-verification of the maneuvering these challenges, activities which were at their NRC. So now if the court agrees especially that of insurgency and Maligaon school lowest ebb in the state in the to the demand, how the entire NRC, issues which he has flagged last ten years are again starting re-verification exercise will be out immediately after taking oath to make headlines. The recent carried out will defiantly occupy as the chief minister of Assam, he Full Story on PG No. 04 kidnapping of two Quippo the center stage of politics in could start on a high note in the employees and their subsequent Assam and India and will also hot seat. 2 Lead Story | MAY 15 - MAY 21 , 2021 Mantra of perform or perish to be top priority for Sarma government G Plus News Hazarika and @guwahatiplus Sanjay Kishan have been elevated to cabinet rank imanta Biswa Sarma ministers. was sworn in on While many Monday as the 15th Chief of the cabinet Minister of Assam. A ministers are 13-member Cabinet experienced Halso took oath of office along and have held with him. The new team under ministerial Sarma is a diverse make up of responsibilities people from all across the state before, given and from different social and Chief Minister political backgrounds. Sarma’s enigmatic Of the 13 members, there persona and also are six new faces – Assam the tendency to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) micromanage, president Ranjeet Kumar Dass talks of whether who is now a minister in the the ministers in cabinet. The other new faces are the cabinet will Ajanta Neog, a former Assam perform to the minister and a former five-time expectations Congress MLA from Golaghat, which has been Group photo of the newly sworn in cabinet ministers of Assam during oath taking ceremony | G Plus Photo Bimal Borah, MLA from the set by the chief Tingkhong constituency, Dr minister are already doing the department which looks after during Congress rule. She was he would visit Nagaon where Ranuj Pegu, MLA from Dhemaji rounds in the political corridor. interest of the city. However, minister in PWD and Social 18 elephants were killed by and former chief executive A BJP state level executive some other members of the Welfare departments and her lightening, said that instructions member of Missing Autonomous member talking to G Plus said party are confident that he will performance is considered came from the chief minister. Council, Ashok Singhal, MLA on condition of anonymity, perform well as he is from decent. Similarly, Chandra Mohan from Dhekiajuli who is also a “It would be very challenging real estate background and Even though Sarma has not Patowary after checking the former Assam BJP spokesman, for Keshav Mahanta to handle understand the planning part kept health or finance with him, COVID-19 preparedness in secretary and treasurer of the health as Himanta Biswa Sarma any city better. the possibility of him taking back Udalguri informed about the party and the well-known writer as a health minister has set a According to the BJP state these ministries if the ministers meeting tagging the chief and winner of Sahitya Akademi benchmark during Covid crisis executive member, “Singhal incharge do not perform as per minister on his social media Award from Bodoland Urkhao last year, and this year the will be a better performer than the expectations which has set post. Gwra Brahma of the United 2nd wave is more serious and Siddhartha Bhattacharya.” by him cannot be ruled out. Chief Minister’s Sarma’s social People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). crucial.” Mahanta is the AGP’s Bhattacharya did not get any “Everyone in his cabinet will media team is very prompt but Brahma won the election from working president and a former ministry in newly formed state have to perform to keep their now even the other cabinet the Chapaguri seat. Water Resources Minister in the cabinet headed by Sarma. It ministries intact,” said the BJP ministers are seen following Senior BJP leader Chandra Sonowal cabinet. needs to be mentioned that it state executive member. their present chief minister in Mohan Patowary and Ason The allocation of the Guwahati was Bhattacharya as the state It has also seen in the social communicating through the Gana Parishad (AGP) President Development Department to BJP president in 2015 who was media that any minister after social media. Atul Bora continue to remain Ashok Singhal has also raised largely instrumental in getting carrying out their departmental Well time will tell who all as ministers. They were some brows and concerns Himanta into the BJP. work make a mention of the fact performs but it should not be cabinet minister in the earlier amongst BJP insiders. As Singhal The handing of the important that they were instructed by the a one man show or else no one Sarbananda Sonowal led is not from Guwahati, doubts finance portfolio to Neog has chief minister to do so. Forest will get opportunity to work and government. Former ministers are being expressed on how he not come as a surprise given Minister Shuklabaidya after show their capability as people’s of state Jogen Mohan, Pijush would perform as head a key her experience as a minister announcing in social media that representatives. COVID-19 spike and lockdown woes: Who is responsible? different and as Assam is under visits the market creating more For instance, people are irked at the of our countrymen who went G Plus News @guwahatiplus partial lockdown now, who is chaos. Though post 2 pm the virus authorities for not regulating rise holidaying in Shillong early this responsible for such a scenario and is contained, but the spread already in prices during such times. The year or gleefully held parties what are the reasons that is making takes place between 10 am to 1 pm. price of mustard oil has suddenly and large gatherings were not n a recent risk assessment of people to suffer like they are. It is difficult to say if such shot up Rs 170 per litre (Ramdev instructed by the politicians to the COVID-19 situation in India Scientists have claimed that observations have any scientific brand) and the cheapest which do so.