Guwahati, Aug. 13: The Assam Assembly today witnessed an emotional outburst of ruling Congress MLA Bhupen Kumar Borah over “inordinate delay” in the construction of Madhabdev Kalakshetra at Narayanpur in Lakhimpur district.

The Bihpuria MLA tore into the government of his own party for not being able to complete the project which found mention in the Congress manifesto in 2006.

Narayanpur falls under Bihpuria constituency.

Borah rued that the foundation stone of the Kalakshetra was laid by chief minister Tarun Gogoi on March 23, 2007, in the presence of three cabinet ministers, top officers of the cultural affairs department and around 30,000 people of Bihpuria, but even after eight years the project failed to make any progress. 

Borah threatened to sit on a hunger strike in front of Speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi’s chamber in the Assembly. According to him, by delaying the work, the state government is showing disrespect to Madhabdev who propagated Mahapurush Xankardev’s philosophy throughout the state and beyond.

The Congress MLA alleged that a former minister is spreading canards in his constituency that the project will not be completed till Borah remains the MLA. 

“I am ready to resign from the post of MLA for the project,” he said.

Borah also said the people of Bihpuria had wanted to come to Dispur to stage a protest on this issue, but he stopped them by assuring that he would raise the matter in the Assembly.

He also asked the government to clarify what happened to the Rs 2 crore that was earmarked for the project.

The Speaker asked Borah to give his grievances in writing to him and assured to look into the matter. 

Cultural affairs minister Bismita Gogoi said the government had given an administrative approval of Rs 5 crore for the project of which Rs 2.80 crore had been released. She said Kalakshetra would be completed in 2015-16 subject to availability of funds.

Onion price: Earlier during question hour, food and civil supplies minister Nazrul Islam told the Assembly that the rise in onion price is because of the increase in price at the source as there has been less production because of adverse weather conditions.