Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Congress, accusing the party of undermining Assam and the Northeast during its decades in power and of protecting infiltrators
at the cost of the region’s security and identity.
Addressing a public rally in Guwahati after inaugurating the new terminal at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport, PM Modi said the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was aimed at safeguarding democracy by preventing infiltrators from entering the electoral process.
He alleged that those opposing the exercise had questionable intentions. “Deshdrohis opposing SIR want to shield infiltrators,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the Centre was taking strict steps to stop infiltration.
PM Modi claimed that the Congress had never prioritised the development of Assam and the Northeast.
He alleged that during its rule, infiltrators were allowed to occupy forests and land, posing a serious threat to the state’s security and cultural identity.
According to him, the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Assam are now correcting mistakes made over several decades.
Highlighting what he described as the BJP’s “double-engine government” model, the Prime Minister said development in Assam was progressing without obstruction, likening it to the uninterrupted flow of the Brahmaputra river.
Expressing his personal connection with the state, PM Modi said his attachment to Assam continues to inspire him, adding that the state and the wider Northeast are fast emerging as gateways to India’s overall development.
“Every state and every region has an important role to play in the mission of a developed India,” he said.
Later in the evening, the Prime Minister led a massive roadshow in Guwahati on the first day of his two-day visit to Assam.
The procession began near the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex in Sarusajai on National Highway 27 and concluded at the BJP’s state headquarters near Basistha Chariali.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi unveiled a statue of Assam’s first Chief Minister, Gopinath Bordoloi, inaugurated the new airport terminal and addressed a public gathering.
After the roadshow, he chaired a key meeting with the BJP’s state leadership to review preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections.
