Life jacket protest puts Guwahati flood crisis back in spotlight

Guwahati, July 6: In an unusual protest, opposition Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi donned a life jacket instead of the customary white kurta outside the Assam Assembly on Monday, accusing the state government of failing to tackle Guwahati’s recurring artificial floods.

Launching the protest on the opening day of the Budget Session, Gogoi said the gesture was meant to highlight the city’s annual flood misery, which continues to disrupt normal life and endanger residents every monsoon.

“If there’s a five-minute rain, Guwahati comes to a standstill. Roads are inundated and damaged, flyovers are affected, and people risk their lives every year because of artificial floods,” he told reporters.

He further alleged that despite promising in 2016 to permanently solve Guwahati’s flooding problem, the government had failed to deliver a lasting solution.

“This life jacket is a warning to the government. Today’s protest is just the beginning. I will continue to raise the issue inside the House and demand concrete measures to end the artificial flood crisis in both Guwahati and Sivasagar,” he said.

The symbolic protest drew the attention of legislators across party lines, media personnel and members of the public gathered outside the Assembly as the Budget Session commenced.

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