The Opposition Congress on Tuesday launched a video contest on social media called “Assam Bachao (Save Assam)” to connect with the masses and prepare a “people’s manifesto” based on their feedback for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.
The objective of the campaign is to provide the people with both “vision and voice” by urging them to make a two-minute video on the state’s “biggest” issues and problems and upload them with the hashtag AssamBachao on any social media platform and then submit its link through www.AssamBachao.in. The best entries will receive anything from an Iphone to cash prizes.
Gaurav Gogoi, Congress MP and head of the state unit’s manifesto committee, launched the 10-day campaign on Tuesday at the party headquarters here in the presence of PCC chief Ripun Bora, who said the “innovative” campaign will help people “vent their ire” against the “misrule” of the BJP-led government.
“The BJP’s attempts to muzzle the voice of the people won’t last till polling day. The #AssamBachao campaign will reflect how desperate Assam is for change,” Bora said.
Gaurav said the first step to resolve a problem is to acknowledge and understand it. “The social media campaign is that first step. The feedback from the campaign will tell us about the most important issues/problems to be flagged in our party’s manifesto which will also offer solutions to these issues/problems,” he said.
Gaurav, son of former chief minister late Tarun Gogoi and a two-term MP, appealed to the youth to take charge of their own future and save Assam from the BJP’s “evil” designs.
He then listed out some of the pressing and unprecedented issues confronting the state such as “skyrocketing” prices of essential items and the BJP’s plans to “impose” the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
“The campaign is a call to the people to highlight and discuss issues facing the state because the ruling BJP doesn’t want them to discuss them. Participants can present the issues they want to highlight by singing, dancing, acting or recording a speech. The more unique the presentation, the more impact it will have. Our manifesto will be a people’s manifesto,” Gaurav said.
Soon after the campaign launch, Gogoi interacted with mediapersons at Guwahati Press Club and with members of the lawyers’ association, Guwahati Municipal Corporation’s market association and businessmen in Fancy Bazar.
The Congress on Tuesday also launched its social media warrior identification and engagement drive in the state in the presence of Bora, Gaurav and Pranav Vachharajanj, the party’s social media in-charge of the Northeast, a move through which it wants to create an “army of social media warriors” that will help save the country from the narrative of “hate and intolerance spread by the BJP, their IT cell and Godi Media”.
“We recognise that it is time to come together and defend the idea of India. In Assam specifically, we have seen our identity, culture and language come under attack through the dangerous CAA introduced by the BJP. Our secular fabric has been ripped apart by divisive forces. As a society, we must fight for our democratic, secular and just republic of India. We invite people from all over to come join us in the initiative to save the country from an autocratic government,” said Bobbeeta Sharma, PCC’s media department chairperson.
State BJP chief spokesperson Rupam Goswami told The Telegraph that the people know whom to save Assam from. “What were they (Congress) doing when they were in power? People of Assam have become politically more conscious today. They know which party is good for them. I would like to know how will the Congress save Assam from AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal and the Miya brigade,” he said.
The AIUDF is part of a six-party pre-poll alliance headed by the Congress. The BJP sees the AIUDF as a party allegedly espousing the cause of illegal migrants (referred to as miyas) from Bangladesh.
