Assam PCC president Gaurav Gogoi on Thursday prodded Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to clarify to the people of the state why he failed to deliver on the state’s development front.

Gogoi’s attack came hours before Union home minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit to Guwahati on Thursday evening.

Gogoi had based his attack on a Niti Aayog survey that ranked Assam among the bottom five states in the country. He claimed that the Assam national average score on the sustainable development goals (SDG) parameters was 65 against the national average of 71. Assam was also ranked 25th and 26th on the education and health index.

Accusing Sarma of working only for his personal gains, Gogoi said a chief minister who had promised to make Assam one of the five most developed states in the country should now give a “clarification to the people of Assam through a press meet” and explain “why his performance is zero”.

Gogoi had on Wednesday night flagged the findings of the Niti Aayog on his X handle: “The latest Niti Aayog survey has exposed the reality behind CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s so-called ‘Vision Assam.’ On key development goals, Assam ranks among the bottom five states in India: Health & Well-being: 26th Quality Education: 25th Zero Hunger: 22nd.”

“This shows the reality of Assam’s health and education sectors, despite years of tall promises and propaganda by the BJP government. Instead of chasing hollow records, the government must focus on urgent issues like education, health and hunger. It is time every Assamese stands up and questions this neglect of our future,” the post added.

Gogoi also reminded Shah about his assertion of implementing clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord (Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people) and the NRC in Assam.

“Amit Shah ji is coming to Assam today. I want to remind him what he had asserted in Parliament — that what the late Rajiv Gandhi could not do, his (BJP) government will do — the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. But the report of the (Justice B.K. Sharma Committee on Assam Accord) constituted by his government was not signed by the official of his government! I want to ask whether this was a jumla (joke)?” Gogoi asked.