Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched the BJP’s campaign for next year’s Assembly polls in Assam, hitting out hard at the ruling Congress and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh —who represented the State for ten years in the Rajya Sabha — for step-motherly treatment.
Calling for change, Modi said development remained elusive in the State during 15 years of the Congress’ rule and his Government’s three-point agenda for the region was development, development and development.
The Prime Minister, who addressed two rallies in Guwahati and Kokrajhar and interacted with students of educational institutions at IIT Guwahati, however, avoided the contentious issue of demand for ‘statehood’ and special fiscal package for the Bodoland area and said the Central Government would give all possible support to develop the Bodoland Territorial Area District like any other part of India.
Modi, however, said the Kabis community living in the plains of Assam as well as the Bodo Kacharis of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts will be given Scheduled Tribe status soon.
He also assured deemed university status to the Central Institute of Technology at Kokrajhar within one year with more academic and administrative autonomy. Modi also said the defunct Rupshi Airport would be made operational soon.
The PM said, “The Congress has been ruling in Assam for the last 15 years. Manmohan Singh, who got elected to the Rajya Sabha from Assam, was the Prime Minister for ten years. So I thought there will be no problems in Assam. But things were the other way round. What has the former Prime Minister done thenIJ”
“The Congress has failed to do anything in Assam in 15 years and they want me to do everything in 15 months. By asking us what we achieved in 15 months, they are only giving out the list of their failures,” Modi said.
“We are approaching 70 years of Independence and in most of this period the Congress has ruled the country. However, I have come to know that 18,000 villages in India are yet to get electricity connections,” he said while adding that his Government has prioritized these 18,000 villages and the target was to provide electricity to each household in India by 2022.
“I am told that for every one rupee that is sent from the Central Government, only 15 paisa reaches the villages. But New Delhi now has started asking the State Governments for accounts. They have to account for every rupee spent. looting of people’s money has to stop,” said Modi while attacking the Congress Government in Assam.
“Not only Assam Government, but all north-eastern States have to give full account. Because of this reason, these people don’t like me. But I am not bothered. Whether they like me or not, I work for the country, I work for development,” Modi said while adding that his three-point agenda for the region was development.
The Prime Minister, who also addressed a huge gathering of students at IIT Guwahati said: “The 21st century is the century of knowledge. In history, whenever knowledge has been the driving force of the world, India has provided leadership. Today India is demographically the youngest country in the world, with young dreams full of energy. It is now both a challenge and an opportunity for India, to once again play a leading role in the world.”
Referring to most global economic surveys, the Prime Minister said India was the fastest-growing major economy of the world. “The Union Government has focused on youth with a well-thought-out series of initiatives,” he said. He also referred to the Central Government’s efforts towards skill development, the ‘Make in India’ initiative, and the Start-up movement. The Prime Minister especially mentioned electronics and Defence equipment manufacturing as priority areas.