Guwahati, March 13
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the era of bombs and gunfire in the North East was over, crediting the BJP with bringing lasting peace to the region while accusing the Congress of using peace accords for “selfish political interests”. Addressing a public meeting in Kokrajhar virtually from Guwahati after rain disrupted his travel plans, Modi said Assam was entering a new phase of peace and development under the BJP’s “double-engine” government.
With Assam expected to vote for its 126-member assembly in April, the prime minister launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of compromising national security and failing to protect the rights of indigenous communities.
He alleged that the Congress had handed over land belonging to indigenous people and Adivasis to “infiltrators”, particularly in districts such as Dhubri and Goalpara, and said the demographic impact had also been felt in Kokrajhar.
“Punish the Congress in the upcoming elections and send a clear message that there is no place for infiltrators in this country,” he told the gathering.
Modi praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for leading what he described as a major drive against encroachment and said the BJP government had restored land rights to indigenous people with the support of tribal communities.
The prime minister also accused the Congress of betraying Kokrajhar and the wider Bodoland region for decades by making false promises and signing agreements “just for show”.
“The Congress signed peace accords just for show and for selfish interests, but the BJP worked for permanent peace, and ensured the development of Bodoland,” he said.
Modi said the hills of Bodoland, once marked by violence and unrest, were now witnessing a return to normal life and cultural revival.
“For decades, these hills echoed with guns and bomb blasts. Now those days are over, and the region is moving ahead on the path of peace and development,” he said.
He added that where people had once suffered through conflict, they were now hearing the sounds of traditional Bodo instruments such as the kham and siphoong instead.
In a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “Mohabbat ki Dukaan” slogan, Modi described the Congress as a “shop of false promises”, alleging that it offered “one lie and four more super lies” without any intention of delivering on its commitments.
By contrast, he said, the BJP’s “double-engine” model was based on honest governance and implementation of promises.
Modi said the NDA government remained committed to preserving the cultural traditions of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) while accelerating its development.
He said he remained grateful to the people of BTR for their support and referred to the Bagurumba dwhou, a major Bodo cultural event held in Guwahati in January, saying it reflected the community’s commitment to preserving its language, faith and traditions.
The prime minister also announced that projects worth more than Rs 4,750 crore had been launched, including over Rs 1,100 crore for road infrastructure in Bodoland.
He said new railway services had also been flagged off, which would improve connectivity, boost trade and support tourism in the region.
A railway workshop would be set up in the area to help turn it into a major logistics hub, he added, while work on rail connectivity with Bhutan and the modernisation of several stations was also under way.
PTI
