A Constituency Designed Through Social Engineering Where Cleanliness is a Regular Mission

Dispur: It was 5.40am and our team was on the road. What was an unusual sight for us, is a daily routine for Mrinal Saikia, MLA of Khumtai constituency. More than a politician, for the people of his constituency, he is a social engineer, who has transformed every aspect of Khumtai.

It was a non political morning in the peak election season in Assam. Saikia was on his bicycle cycling through the streets of the villages, accompanied by a few children, to whom he was describing the importance of cleanliness and creating a green environment. Our cycles stopped over at various locations, where the volunteers of ‘Green Khumtai’ and ‘Clean Khumtai’ were busy with their daily activities. The activities include taking care of the tree saplings by the roadside, cleaning of the streets as well as community places. Saikia described that people come out to join the mission of cleanliness drive voluntarily. “The number of volunteers increased such that now we are unable to accommodate all,” Mrinal Saikia said.

Giving us a tour of the one of its kind ‘Tree Temple’, Saikia said that he wants to develop the place into a recreational hub focusing on nature and Ayurveda. “This Tree Temple is where we want to develop a meditation Center and also a cultural hub, where children and the local youths can engage constructively,” he said.

Saikia’s constituency is in Upper Assam’s Golaghat district. The treat of infiltration is relatively low compared to places like Dhubri and Barpeta, however, Saikia who was also a member of the Commission for Review & Assessment of Problems of Satra Land in Assam, said that the issue of infiltration and land encroachment is a major concern. He said that if the indigenous people don’t engage in agriculture, the land is bound to be encroached by infiltrators. “I have been appealing and taking the initiative of taking the people in my constituency to the agriculture field. That is the immediate and one small measure that we can take,” Mrinal Saikia said. He added that the State government’s decision to engage local youths in agriculture sector in the government lands is a laudable initiative of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“I don’t like to address fancy meetings and gatherings, I enjoy riding my bicycle every morning and to have a cup of tea with the people in the villages,” said Mrinal Saikia. According to him, it not just gives him and opportunity to get the pulse on the ground, but also to solve the problems of his people swiftly.

Saikia, known best for his unconventional approaches, often lands in controversy for speaking his mind, when asked on it, he said, “I don’t lie and I don’t like to engage in personal attack during campaign and that’s the reason why I often speak what I believe is true.”

Saikia’s unconventional approaches have received accolades from Chief Minister and made fans in the opposition but sometime even detractors within his own party for speaking his mind out.

Opposition Congress has fielded Roselina Tirkey against BJPs Mrinal Saikia.

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