Thaindian News

Guwahati, July 12 (IANS) The burning issues in Assam like corruption and the problems caused by big dams will be highlighted at the proposed anti-graft rally to be taken out by Baba Ramdev in New Delhi Aug 9, the yoga guru said Thursday.

He was speaking to reporters after meeting Team Anna member and Assam’s farmers’ leader Akhil Gogoi at the later’s residence at Chandmari.

“I came here to extend my support to the movement undertaken by Akhil Gogoi against big dams and corruption. We are also gong to highlight the burning issues of Assam during the anti-corruption rally in New Delhi on Aug 9,” said Ramdev while talking to newsmen at Gogoi’s residence.

The yoga guru, who was in Guwahati to garner support for his Aug 9 rally, also said that about 25,000 people from Assam will participate in the proposed rally.

“There have been rampant exploitations of minerals and a natural resource particularly in adivas areas and Maoism is fallout of those exploitations. The movement to protect and preserve jal (water), zameen (land) and jungle (forest) in Assam, which is being led by Akhil Gogoi has full support from me and my organisation,” said Ramdev.

Ramdev also condemned the move to construct 148 big dams on the Brahmaputra River by central government and said that there will be no compromise on the issue of protecting it.

“The proposed 148 big dams on Brahmaputra river will destroy the ecology and affect several people. We are not going to let it happen at any cost,” he said.

Ramdev also took a dig at the ruling Congress in the state and said that about 70 percent of the central funds meant for development activities in Assam goes to the coffers of bureaucrats.