Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday accused the Congress of treating Assam “in a stepmother’s way” for decades, and urged voters in the state to punish the party in the April 9 Assembly elections by not voting for it. He was addressing an election rally to seek support for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates in Tezpur and Dergaon.
Singh blamed the Congress for encouraging illegal intruders and said the current BJP state government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma is making efforts to evict them.
“Assam has got new recognition after 10 years of BJP rule. Congress governments have always treated Assam in a step-mother-in-law manner and have neglected it. They have kept Assam away not only from Dili (Delhi) but also from Dil (heart) and Dhimag (mind). Now no one talks about terrorism in Assam, but about development and connectivity,” he said.
“The Reserve Bank of India notes that Assam is the fastest growing state in the country. This is due to sustained efforts to develop infrastructure and industry under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Singh added.
He said Assam witnessed an average of 313 terrorist incidents annually between 2001 and 2015, while under BJP rule, multiple peace deals were signed with insurgent groups and more than 7,500 armed cadres laid down their arms.
“Congress leaders have offended the youth of Assam by asking why they should set up a semiconductor factory here as the state did not have any talent. Congress leaders have offended the youth of Assam. That is why I appeal to voters not to forgive the party in these elections,” he said.
Singh accused the Congress of encouraging illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh into vote bank politics and destabilizing the demographics of the state. “They stooped to a very low level just to secure votes and stay in power. But our government expelled these illegal settlers from the encroaching lands including religious sites like the Vaishnavite birthplace of Sant Srimanta Shankardev,” he added.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also addressed two election rallies in Assam in Jorhat and Dibrugarh. BJP MLA and former Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami is contesting from Jorhat against Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi and Cabinet Minister Prasanta Phukan is contesting from Dibrugarh.
“Prime Minister Modi has visited Assam 35 times since 2014, but the Congress candidate for Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi, who is also the local MP, has not visited this place even 10 times. This is because they are not interested in the region and its people and only want political power through family heritage,” Fadnavis said in Jorhat.
“Due to unrest and insurgency in Assam during previous Congress governments, some of our neighboring states were dreaming of dismantling the state. But their dreams were shattered under Narendra Modi’s rule (due to signing of multiple peace deals with rebel groups that heralded peace) and now Assam is moving fast towards development,” he said in Dibrugarh.
BJP leader Smriti Irani also addressed two election rallies in Assam in Dhemaji and Gunai on Tuesday.
