Attacks Congress for ‘years of neglect’
NAGAON (ASSAM): With the Assam Assembly elections drawing closer, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of neglecting the state during its years in power and challenging Rahul Gandhi to account for its record.
Addressing a rally in Nagaon, Shah framed the upcoming polls as a choice between “years of neglect” under Congress and a decade of development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Taking direct aim at Rahul Gandhi, Shah questioned the Congress party’s contribution during its 15-year rule in the state. He claimed that between 2004 and 2014, the Congress-led government allocated around Rs. 1.28 lakh crore for Assam’s development, while the Modi government provided nearly Rs. 9.78 lakh crore over the past decade.
Amit Shah said, “The Congress party has never done anything for the development of Assam… Your (Rahul Gandhi) government was in power for 15 years. What exactly did you do for Assam? From 2004 to 2014, the Congress government was in power in Assam… A mere Rs 1 lakh 28 thousand crore was given for the development of Assam… During this same 10-year period from 2014 to 2024, PM Modi has worked to provide Rs 9 lakh 78 thousand crore to the state… CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and PM Narendra Modi have worked to bring investments worth hundreds of thousands of crores to Assam.”
Highlighting the electoral battle ahead, Shah expressed confidence in the alliance between the BJP and the Asom Gana Parishad, asserting that it remains strong despite opposition claims. He accused the Congress of spreading misinformation about cracks in the alliance, asserting that its partnership with AGP would endure.
Shah said, “The alliance between the Asom Gana Parishad and the BJP is as certain as the rising of the sun and moon. Trust what I am saying. These Congress people spread rumours that the alliance between the Asom Gana Parishad and the BJP will not last long. Rahul Baba, don’t daydream…”
Shah urged voters to back the alliance once again, calling for a third consecutive term and framing the April 9 voting as a decisive moment for Assam’s future. He said, “Voting is scheduled to take place in Assam on April 9th, and the time has come for the third time to form a government led by the BJP and the Asom Gana Parishad… These ten years will be written in golden letters in the history of Assam. Kaziranga is located right nearby. The rhinos of Kaziranga possess the power to attract tourists to Assam from all corners of the globe. Yet, the Congress governments handed Kaziranga over to infiltrators…”
Shah outlined a series of development initiatives undertaken in Assam over the past decade. He pointed to major infrastructure investments, including road, railway and airport projects worth over Rs 1.35 lakh crore. This includes Rs 30,000 crore for road construction, Rs 95,000 crore for railways, and Rs 10,000 crore for airports.
Among key announcements, he highlighted India’s first semiconductor manufacturing facility in the state, being set up with an investment of Rs 27,000 crore, positioning Assam as an emerging technology hub.
He also cited the construction of a six-lane bridge over the Brahmaputra in Guwahati, the expansion of inland waterways, and efforts to boost tourism.
Emphasising cultural preservation, Shah said the government has built a memorial in Guwahati for martyrs of the Assam Movement and installed a towering statue of Ahom general Lachit Borphukan. He added that the legacy of the 17th-century military leader has been promoted nationally through translations of his life story into 21 languages and spread across the country, from the Himalayas to Kerala, and from Dwarka to Kamakhya by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Agencies