Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that illegal immigration is not just an election slogan but a matter of national security, putting the issue at the heart of the BJP’s campaign in Assam heading to the polls.
Interacting with BJP wing-level workers via the NaMo app, Modi urged them to inform voters about the threats posed by illegal immigrants and the steps being taken to address the issue.
“The issue of illegal immigrants is not just an election slogan. It is an issue about the identity of Assam and the security of the state and the nation. It is about the land of farmers, the livelihood of the poor and adivasis and the security of women as well,” he said.
He alleged that Congress policies encouraged illegal immigration, leading to land encroachment and loss of jobs.
“I would urge all BJP workers in Assam to collect information about illegal encroachments in your areas and know the negative impacts that have happened there over the years due to it. Tell people the details about this issue,” Modi said.
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“BJP workers should share videos of people facing harassment from illegal immigrants and tell the public how Congress gave ‘attikraman’ (encroachment) and BJP gave ‘adhikhar’ (rights). I firmly believe that the people of Assam want to get rid of encroachments and secure their rights,” he added.
The remarks come amid ongoing eviction drives in Assam, where more than 49,500 acres of government land and forests have been cleared of alleged encroachments in the past five years.
Prime Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that if the BJP returns to power, evictions will expand to another 165,000 acres. Since last year, authorities have also invoked the Assam Migrants (Expulsion) Act, 1950 to “return” hundreds of declared foreigners to Bangladesh.
In response to the allegations, the Congress denied supporting illegal immigrants and accused the BJP of failing to act despite being in power at the Center for more than a decade and in Assam for years. “For a decade, the dual-engine BJP government has turned Assam into a laboratory of broken promises, communal divisions and selective development,” said Barnali, chief spokesperson of the Assam Congress. “While Modi ji lectures on peace and progress, the people of Assam have lost their right to speak freely. Youth voices are being silenced and sent to prison merely for writing poems, while hardened criminals are given BJP tickets and nominations. The same party that once cried about infiltration is now protecting banks.” his own sounds.” Fukan.
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According to a statement issued by the BJP, Prime Minister Modi also highlighted Assam’s transformation from instability to “peace, progress and prosperity” under the dual-engine government, citing multiple peace agreements, especially in Bodoland. He asked party workers to reach out to beneficiaries of government schemes and increase voter turnout to the maximum extent.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin, who campaigned in Jagirud and Bokakhat, echoed the focus on illegal immigration and criticized the Congress.
“The people of Assam deserve credit for forming the BJP government, which is now working to show these infiltrators the way out. Some people claim that the BJP is taking tough decisions, but if such decisions are required to protect the nation, its security and the safety of mothers and sisters, the party will not hesitate, as it is accountable to its people,” he said.
Modi also had a similar interaction with BJP workers in poll-bound Puducherry, where he compared the current NDA rule with the previous Congress-DMK rule, and urged cadres to communicate this to first-time voters.
