Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has expressed concern over the increasing number of deaths among migrant workers from Assam, describing it as a “system that has failed its people” and accusing the state government of neglecting the issue.
Referring to recent data, Gogoi said that 162 workers from Assam have died across the country in the last six months. He noted that these deaths occurred in factories, construction sites, mines, and unsafe living conditions, adding that they are “not isolated tragedies” but point to deeper structural issues.
“Assam is facing a crisis,” he wrote, stating that many young people are being “forced to leave home” due to the lack of sustainable opportunities within the state. He highlighted weakening agriculture, low wages, and limited employment as major factors driving migration into risky and insecure jobs.
Gogoi also criticised the state government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging that it has “neither acknowledged the scale of this crisis nor made it a political priority”. He further said that authorities have chosen “to look away while lives are lost”.
In his remarks, the MP questioned the state’s development narrative, saying that “the lives of Assam’s workers have little value” under the current model, which he claimed prioritises “optics over people”. He described the situation as “not governance” but an “abandonment of responsibility, of accountability, and of the very people the state is meant to protect”.
Assam has historically witnessed outward migration due to economic challenges, especially among rural youth seeking employment in other states. However, the recent number of reported deaths has brought renewed attention to labour conditions and the absence of adequate safeguards for migrant workers.
