Guwahati, Jan 17 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress of disrespecting the culture and heritage of Assam, claiming that it was evident from the party rolling out a red carpet for infiltrators for the sake of grabbing power.
On his second visit to the state in less than a month ahead of the assembly elections, Modi asserted that the ‘double-engine’ government of the BJP was “cleansing the sins” of the previous Congress regimes.
Speaking at a grand Bodo folk dance performance ‘Bagurumba Dwhou’ by over 10,000 artistes at Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Stadium here, he said, “When we show respect to Assam and its culture, some people don’t like it. You all know which party doesn’t like showing respect; it is the Congress party.” He claimed that the Congress had opposed conferring of the Bharat Ratna on musical maestro Bhupen Hazarika, and that setting up of a semiconductor unit in Assam was protested by a Karnataka minister, who is also the son of the Congress national president.
“When I put on something associated with Assam, like the ‘gamosa’ (traditional towel/scarf), they make fun of it,” Modi said.
He also alleged that the Congress ensured Assam and the state’s Bodoland remained disconnected from the mainstream, holding the party responsible for the violence the state has witnessed.
“Challenges were there in front of Assam. But, instead of finding solutions, Congress focused on grabbing power. Where trust was needed, they brought division. Where discussion was needed, they ignored the issues and closed doors for dialogue,” Modi claimed, adding that the issues raised by the Bodos fell on deaf ears.
The PM said when there was the need to work for the people of Assam, the grand old party “opened the doors for infiltrators” for the sake of “vote bank politics”, and these illegal settlers grabbed land all over the state.
“Assam’s Himanta Biswa Sarma government is now cleansing the sins of the Congress, and clearing encroached land,” Modi said.
He asserted that the Congress not only “ignored” Assam, but the entire northeast region.
On the other hand, the ‘double-engine’ BJP government is connecting hearts and places in Assam, Modi said, listing out various projects and schemes for the state with special focus on improved connectivity, including with neighbouring nation Bhutan through Kokrajhar, the headquarters of Bodoland Territorial Region.
Affirming his respect and love for the northeastern state, Modi said that no other prime minister visited Assam as much as he has.
Greeting people on the ongoing ‘Magh Bihu’ festivities, the PM said he never let’s go of an opportunity to witness the culture of the state from close quarters.
“My wish is that Assam’s culture should always get the right platform and recognised worldwide. We have already made attempts for such recognition for ‘Bihu’ and ‘Jhumoir’, and with the Bodoland Mahotsav in New Delhi,” he said.
The ‘Bagurumba Dwhou’ dance performance is more than just a celebration, it is a show of respect to the Bodo community, the Prime Minister said.
He also recalled the contributions of luminaries of the community towards social reform, cultural renaissance and strengthening political consciousness.
Asserting that peace has returned to Assam through efforts of the BJP government, Modi said, “There are so many things going on in my mind. I am emotional thinking of all the progress happening. How the state has moved from bloodshed to cultural performances; sounds of gunshots have been replaced by that of ‘kham’ and ‘sifung’ (traditional Bodo musical instruments), the silence of curfew replaced by music.” Every Indian takes pride in the transformation that Assam has achieved, he said.
Modi said the Bodo peace accord of 2020 has been instrumental in bringing lasting peace, which has opened new avenues of education and progress.
Trust has returned and thousands of youth shunned the path of violence and returned to the mainstream, who are now at the centre of progress of Assam and Bodoland, the PM said.
“Assam is now among the fastest developing states and its progress is part of the country’s growth story,” he added. PTI SSG RBT
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.