Gogoi criticises Shah for Assam floods remark, says minister lacks knowledge

Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi criticised Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday for describing Assam's floods as a "flood-like situation", and said it shows a lack of knowledge and sincerity as more than 70 people have lost their lives in the disaster so far.

Gogoi said this was not the first time that Shah had made a "strange remark" on floods in Assam, and added that it only highlights the failure of the BJP government in helping the people of the northeast combat the impacts of climate change.

"The statement of Minister of Home Affairs Shri Amit Shah regarding the tragedy in Assam shows a lack of knowledge and sincerity. More than 70 people have died due to the floods yet the Minister chooses to describe the current disaster as flood-like situation," the Congress MP wrote on X.

On 6 July, Shah said "a flood-like situation" had occurred in Assam due to heavy rains and he had spoken to chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Union minister also said the NDRF and SDRF (National and State Disaster Relief Force, respectively) were working on a war footing, providing relief and rescuing affected people.

Gogoi, the MP from Jorhat, also said the people of Assam were in distress owing to the floods and erosion. The level of erosion that is taking place every year in Majuli is "scary", he added. Gogoi said erosion creates more long-term losses compared to floods as villages, schools, acres of farmland, homes and health centres are swallowed up by rivers.

"It is the poor esp women and children who face the greatest brunt from climate change. We need massive investment in flood and erosion management in Assam. International institutions, local communities, district and state administrations, central government everyone needs to lend a hand," he said.

Gogoi also expressed grief over the death of an eight-year-old boy, who was swept away in an overflooded drain after falling from his father's scooter in Guwahati two days ago.

"One of the most tragic stories of loss during the recent floods in Assam. An 8 year old boy riding with his father falls and gets swept away in an over flooded drain. Ordinary Indians are paying taxes but continue to be neglected," he said in another post on X.

The flood situation in Assam remained grim on Sunday, with close to 24 lakh people reeling under waters, official sources said. Several major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, were flowing over the danger level across the state. Twenty-nine districts have been affected by the floods, with Dhubri being the worst-hit, where more than 7.95 lakh people were reeling under waters.