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Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh addressed large public meetings in Tezpur and Dergaon, Assam on Tuesday. Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the unprecedented development work carried out over the past ten years under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, and appealed to the people to once again form a Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state. Union Defence Minister stated that Congress governments have always treated Assam and the North-East stepmotherly. Congress kept Assam and the North-East away not only from Delhi but also from its heart and mind for a long time, whereas Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has given priority to Assam and the North-East and brought them into the mainstream. During the event, Sonitpur MP Shri Ranjit Dutta, MP Shri Deepak Prakash, candidate from Naduar Shri Padma Hazarika, candidate from Tezpur Shri Prithviraj Rabha, candidate from Dergaon Shri Mridul Kumar Dutta, and other leaders and office bearers were present on the stage.
Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted that Assam is a land of courage and self-respect, it is the land of the great hero Lachit Borphukan, and the brave people here have always sacrificed everything, whenever needed, to protect India’s identity and honour. The people of Assam have made up their mind that “Aako Ebar BJP Sarkar” (Once again, the BJP government). The BJP’s resolve and commitment are that the people of Assam should be respected, the state should develop, and Assam’s culture and identity must be protected at all costs. With this resolve, today the double-engine government is working in Assam under the leadership of Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that in the last 10 years, under the Bharatiya Janata Party government, Assam has gained a new identity in India. Congress governments always treated Assam stepmotherly and neglected it. Congress kept Assam away not only from Delhi but also from its heart and mind for a long time. Due to Congress’s misgovernance, there was a time when Assam was discussed in the context of extremism, insurgency, unrest, poverty, and hunger. But now times have changed, and today neither in India nor in the rest of the world is Assam referred to in those terms. Now, Assam is discussed in India and globally for its development, and this transformation has been brought about by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Congress governments used to call villages in border areas the “last villages” of the country, whereas the Bharatiya Janata Party changed this thinking and said that villages located on the borders are not the last but the first villages of the nation. Therefore, when it comes to development, people living in border areas should be given priority. When oil was discovered in Assam in 1953, the people of Assam had hoped that it would generate new employment and make the state prosperous. However, it is unfortunate that Congress governments deprived the people of Assam of this right and did not even allow a refinery to be set up there. After continuous struggle, a refinery was established only in 1961, but by then much time had already been lost.
Shri Singh mentioned that the work of giving a new direction and new energy to the development of Assam and the North-East was first seriously undertaken by former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He also created a separate ministry for the development of the North-East in independent India so that Assam could develop rapidly. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has given the highest priority to the North-East and has instructed every minister to visit the region at least three to four times every year, review development work on the ground, and ensure that development is moving in the right direction. Today it can be clearly seen that the North-East is no longer discussed in terms of backwardness, extremism, or exploitation, but in terms of development, connectivity, “Ashta Lakshmi,” potential, progress, and prosperity, which is a matter of pride for the entire country. In the last 11 years, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has visited Assam nearly 30 times, whereas during the Congress rule, even five-year periods would pass and a Prime Minister would hardly visit the entire North-East two or three times. Today, Assam is moving forward rapidly with new confidence and has become a centre of development. Assam has emerged as an engine for the development of the entire North-East, and when Assam progresses, it will accelerate the development of the entire country. Only when Assam develops will India’s overall development be possible, and that is why Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has given special priority to the development of Assam and the North-East.
BJP Senior leader stated that in the last 10 years, Assam’s economy has witnessed remarkable growth under BJP rule. During the BJP tenure, the size of the economy has tripled, which has not happened in any other state in the country. According to the report of the Reserve Bank of India, Assam’s economy grew at a rate of 45 per cent over the last five years, from 2020 to 2025. Congress leaders are unable to understand the reason behind this rapid growth. This growth is due to the right policies and intent of the BJP government, along with the hard work and efforts of the people of Assam. Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, the double-engine government has carried out extensive work for the development of Assam. When government policies are right, and the hard work of the people is given new energy, the pace of development naturally accelerates. There has been an increase in industry and investment in Assam, and infrastructure has developed rapidly. A clear difference can be seen between the condition of roads 10 years ago and today, which is a result of the efforts of the BJP government.
Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that Assam has set a target to take its economy to around 150 billion dollars by the year 2030. Even if people may not have fully understood the BJP 10–15 years ago, today they have realized that only the Bharatiya Janata Party, with the support of the people, can elevate India’s stature globally. Earlier, India did not receive the prestige and respect it deserved at the international level, and its voice was not taken seriously. However, since Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji assumed leadership, the situation has changed, and today India’s views are heard with seriousness on global platforms. Assam is witnessing unprecedented progress in all sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and industry. Major institutions like AIIMS and IIM are being established in Assam, something people had never even imagined earlier that a government would come and build institutions on such a large scale.
Union Defence Minister asserted that the BJP government has decided to develop thousands of schools in Assam into modern “Dream Hubs” by the year 2035. Children will now receive better education on the soil of Assam itself and will not need to go abroad for it. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, continuous work is being done keeping the interests of farmers as the top priority. Last year, in Namrup, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji laid the foundation stone of a urea plant to be built at a cost of around ₹11,000 crore. This plant will produce more than 12 lakh metric tonnes of urea annually, ensuring that farmers do not face any shortage of fertilizers and also creating new employment and self-employment opportunities. The government has also placed special emphasis on improving connectivity in Assam. Compared to 2009–2014, the railway budget has been increased fourfold and has now reached ₹10,000 crore. The Vande Bharat Express running between Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri has significantly reduced travel time. The North-East is also set to get the Shillong–Silchar High-Speed Corridor, which will be the region’s first access-controlled high-speed corridor, allowing vehicle speeds of 100 to 125 kilometers per hour.
Shri Singh remarked that till 2014, flights operated on only 7 routes in Assam, but now this number has increased to around 30 routes, making air travel much more accessible for people. The world’s longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas, is giving the North-East a new international identity in cruise tourism, and now not only Indians but people from across the world will come here for cruise tourism. While only three major bridges were built in about 60–65 years, the government has constructed four new mega bridges in the last 10 years. Massive bridges like Bogibeel Bridge and Dhola Sadiya Bridge have significantly strengthened Assam’s connectivity. People still remember the 2004 Dhemaji Independence Day bomb blast, when innocent children lost their lives while the entire country was celebrating Independence Day. He also referred to the 2008 Guwahati blasts, which filled people’s lives with insecurity, fear, and anxiety. Between 2001 and 2015, Assam witnessed an average of 313 insurgency-related incidents every year, during the period of Congress rule. Today, Assam is changing, and there is an atmosphere of peace, trust, and development. A state that once remained in the headlines for insurgency is now hosting investment summits and inviting investments from across India and the world. Under the government of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, whether it is terrorism, Naxalism, or insurgency, all are now moving towards an end. More than 7,500 insurgents have laid down arms and returned to the mainstream.
Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted that the mindset of Congress leaders has always been one of doubt and neglect towards Assam. When development was discussed after BJP governments came to power, Congress leaders used to mock it and question how the BJP could achieve what they themselves could not accomplish in so many years but the BJP has delivered. Now a semiconductor project is being established in Assam, which will create new opportunities for the youth and take the state to new heights of industrial development. Despite this, Congress leaders claim that there is no ecosystem of skill and innovation in Assam and the North-East, and that nothing can be done there. Congress leaders raise such questions and make such statements. Shri Singh referred to remarks by Priyank Kharge, who questioned in English why semiconductor industries were going to Assam and Gujarat and whether there was any talent there. He said such statements insult the youth of Assam and put their capability and talent in the dock. This is an attempt to belittle the youth of Assam. In this election, the youth of Assam will give a reply to Congress.
Union Defence Minister asserted that the people of Assam have the ability to work hard and possess talent, which needs to be recognized. However, Congress leaders were not willing to understand this and perhaps will now realize it after seeing the progress. Shri Rajnath Singh stated that Congress wants to settle Bangladeshi infiltrators in Assam to expand its vote bank, and that illegal settlement of people is being done for votes. Incidents have come to light where, in Congress meetings, the national anthem of Bangladesh was played instead of India’s national anthem, citing an example from a Congress Seva Dal program in Sribhumi district. This is a challenge to the self-respect of the people of Assam and the North-East and reflects the mindset of Congress, which, according to him, has given protection to Bangladeshi infiltrators in Assam. Shri Singh assured that if the government is formed again, no illegal infiltrator will be allowed to stay in Assam.
Shri Singh remarked that a renowned scholar, Verrier Elwin, after travelling across many countries and regions, had remarked that nowhere had he seen the kind of politeness and humility found among the people of Assam. Hospitality, simplicity, and warmth are the identity of Assam, and the state has always welcomed people with an open heart. Unfortunately, this simplicity and innocence of the people of Assam were misused, and infiltrators were settled here for vote bank politics, which disturbed the demographic balance of the state. In 2017, a committee headed by former Election Commissioner H. S. Brahma had noted in one of its reports that the influence of illegal infiltrators had increased in 15 districts of Assam, posing a threat to the existence and rights of local residents. When the demographic balance of a state is altered, it naturally impacts its culture, land, and identity. Such actions were carried out for vote bank politics, crossing all limits of propriety. The birthplace of Srimanta Sankardev in Nagaon had also remained under the control of infiltrators for a long time. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, lakhs of bighas of land have been freed from encroachment by infiltrators in Assam, and the land that was earlier occupied has been reclaimed, where rapid development work is now taking place.
Shri Singh linked Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma’s name with the letters ‘H’, ‘B’, and ‘S’, where ‘H’ stands for courage, ‘B’ stands for trust and development, and ‘S’ stands for security qualities that are reflected in his leadership. People have affectionately addressed him as “Mama,” which reflects the public’s love for him. During the Congress rule, corruption had crossed all limits, and no work was done without paying “Chai-Pani” . Now the situation has changed, and people no longer need to pay bribes to get their work done. Union Defence Minister appealed to the people of Assam to once again support the BJP so that corruption can be completely eliminated. Tea and tea garden workers in Assam were neglected by Congress governments and were deprived of their rights. For many years, families associated with tea gardens did not have legal documents for their land. However, the present government has worked in this direction, and now these families are getting their land rights back, and the path for providing them with pucca houses is also being rapidly paved.
Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that people living in tea gardens are not only receiving land, but also security, respect, and dignity. Women working in tea gardens are being given assistance of ₹15,000 during pregnancy, which is happening for the first time in Assam’s history. He said that the Assam government is also opening “Ayushman Arogya Mandirs” in tea gardens, and model tea garden schools are being established for the children of tea tribes. Reservation has also been provided for youth from tea tribes. Assam is famous across the world for Muga and Eri silk. Mahatma Gandhi had said about Assam that women of Assam weave poetry on their looms, reflecting the richness of its artistic tradition. The present government is working to take the silk industry to new heights. To strengthen the silk industry, financial assistance is being provided to producers, infrastructure is being rapidly developed, skill development programs are being run for weavers, and the “Golden Silk Park and Trade Centre” has also been launched in Guwahati. Several such important steps have been taken by the government.
Union Defence Minister remarked that while Congress neglected Assam and its language, the Bharatiya Janata Party has always given the highest priority to the state’s culture and identity. In 2003, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee included the Bodo language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Today, under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Assamese language has been given the status of a “Classical Language.” Shri Rajnath Singh appealed to the people to elect Bharatiya Janata Party candidates and once again form a BJP government in Assam.