Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia today criticised the Assam government alleging that nearly 4,000 posts under the National Health Mission (NHM) remain vacant while Minister Ashok Singhal is “busy with tirtha and pooja activities” instead of addressing serious concerns raised by NHM workers.
Speaking to reporters, Saikia accused both Minister Singhal and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of ignoring the long-pending demands of NHM employees. He said that the government’s approach shows a lack of seriousness toward public health services and the welfare of thousands of contractual workers who have been serving the state “for many years”.
Saikia said that during the UPA government, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) worked in “mission mode”, ensuring that patients received timely and efficient treatment. He claimed that Assam has more than 24,000 sanctioned posts under the present NHM structure, but only about 20,000 employees are working, leaving around 4,000 positions vacant. 
According to him, doctors, nurses and other staff under NHM perform the same duties as regular government employees, yet their salaries are “vastly different”. He added that NHM workers do not receive Provident Fund, EPF or gratuity benefits, even after years of service. “This is why they have been protesting for so long,” he said.
Saikia alleged that despite earlier assurances, the government has not resolved their issues. Instead, he claimed that NHM workers were warned that five to seven days of their salaries would be deducted if they continued to protest. “All these decisions are taken by one person, and that is Ashok Singhal,” Saikia said.
The Opposition leader also said that during the ongoing winter session of the Assam Assembly, the Congress had several important questions for Singhal. However, he claimed that the minister “did not attend even a single day” of the session. “Instead of doing government work, he went for tirtha and pooja ceremonies. Maybe he has his own problems,” Saikia said.
He went on to allege that Singhal was more concerned about issues related to his own lands and properties, including areas near Zubeen Garg’s Kshetra and buildings in Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar. He said that permissions were given for five-storey buildings but work was happening for higher floors. “When a minister spends time looking after his buildings instead of government work, that is a problem,” Saikia said, adding that he has written to the Chief Minister requesting that Singhal’s five days’ salary be deducted. “Now let us see what the Chief Minister decides,” he added.
Saikia further said that the Opposition has been trying to raise genuine issues affecting the people of Assam. He mentioned the ongoing public debate regarding singer Zubeen Garg’s case and alleged that the government sometimes tries to divert attention by focusing on eviction news.
He also criticised the situation at Tezpur University, where he accused Vice Chancellor Shambhu Singh of serious corruption. He claimed that the VC purchased plastic chairs for Rs 5,000 each and plastic tables for Rs 11,000, which he described as “open corruption happening in a central university”.
Saikia said that Assam is currently facing several pressing problems, including land issues, challenges faced by farmers, and the struggles of tea garden workers and small tea growers. He said climate change has made survival even harder for farmers, yet the government has failed to offer meaningful support.
He claimed that tea growers had proposed organising a Tea Festival on the occasion of 200 years of Assam tea, to showcase and promote tea culture. According to him, such a festival could have benefitted the industry, but the government seemed more interested in the idea of setting a “world record Jhumur dance”, which he said would not solve the deeper issues of the tea sector.
“We are trying to take these topics to the people of Assam, and we will continue to stand with the people,” he said.
Saikia also expressed disappointment that neither he nor MLA Akhil Gogoi were invited to state events like Lachit Divas and Asom Divas this year. He said similar incidents had happened earlier in Sivasagar and Demow. He alleged that the district administration, under pressure, avoided calling Opposition leaders. “These are state celebrations. They belong to everyone,” he said.
According to Saikia, the BJP wants to portray these events as government-only programmes, even though they are held using public money. He said Opposition leaders should not be excluded.
Saikia said that the government should not treat the Opposition as an enemy. “We also help the administration. We talk about peace and development, not about Lungi or Topi,” he said, referring to political statements made during previous elections. “People have not forgotten who used those words. Congress does not speak like that. We speak about the Constitution and about people’s needs.”
