Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 16 (ANI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning arrived in Guwahati ahead of the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting.

They were received by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi at the Guwahati airport.

Both leaders will also attend the meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office bearers, MPs, and MLAs, as well as the Congress Workers' meeting.

Speaking to ANI, Gogoi asserted that Congress in Assam will fight for justice for all people who were living under 'a regime of fear and terror' and were facing persecution by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government here.

'The message is very clear that the Congress party in Assam will fight for the justice of all the people of Assam who are living under a regime of fear and terror. We will fight for the dignity of all people who are currently facing persecution by this corrupt and cruel BJP government. Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi will send a message that there is no need to fear,' Gogoi said.

Accusing the Himanta Biswa Sarma government of 'grabbing land of the poor', the Assam Congress president claimed that the Chief Minister has donated close to 17,000 acres of land to industrialists from outside without consulting the locals.

'The CM and his colleagues are grabbing the land of the poor people. The CM of Assam is acting like a real estate broker and has donated close to 17,000 acres of land to outside industrialists without taking the local people into confidence. They are displacing the tribals, minorities, and the Congress party will fight for the self-respect, dignity and land rights of people of Assam,' Gogoi added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sarma informed that a total of 1,19,548 bighas of land have been freed from encroachers in the ongoing eviction drive in the state.

The Assam CM said, 'After we formed the government, so far 84,743 bighas of land in forest and national park areas have been freed from encroachers. A total of 1,19,548 bighas of land have been freed from encroachers.'

He also accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) of portraying his government's firm stance against illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi Muslims as anti-Bengali.

He said the alleged attempt is nothing but a desperate ploy to shield Muslim infiltrators from the neighbouring country. (ANI)