Guwahati, Jan. 11 -- Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) general secretary Jagdish Bhuyan launched a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, rejecting his claim that the deadly rat-hole mine in Umrangso was an "abandoned" coal mine legally operated by the Assam Mineral Development Corporation (AMDC).

Bhuyan alleged that illegal mining has been rampant at the site for years, despite lacking the necessary clearances. He acknowledged that AMDC mined coal at the location 12 years ago but asserted the Chief Minister had distorted the truth.

"The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) cancelled or did not renew AMDC's license over a decade ago, making mining illegal," Bhuyan explained.

He further stated that ...