Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of decades of misgovernance in Assam and claiming that the BJP’s “double-engine government” is now correcting those failures and restoring peace and development in the state.
Addressing a massive gathering at Sarusajai Stadium during a grand Bagurumba dance performance involving nearly 10,000 Bodo artists, the Prime Minister said Assam’s transformation stood in stark contrast to its troubled past. Modi arrived in Guwahati on Saturday evening as part of a two-day visit to poll-bound Assam, marking his second recent tour of the state.
“Where bullets once echoed in Bodoland, today the soothing sounds of sifung and kham resonate. Where there was once curfew and silence, there is now music and celebration,” Modi said, adding that the change was not only a matter of pride for Assam but for the entire country.
Criticising the Congress, Modi said the party has consistently shown disregard for Assam’s culture, heritage and identity. “When we honour Assam’s art, culture and traditions, some people feel uncomfortable — and that discomfort belongs to the Congress,” he said. The Prime Minister recalled that the Congress had opposed conferring the Bharat Ratna on cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika and alleged that Congress leaders were now opposing the establishment of a semiconductor manufacturing unit in Assam.
He also claimed that Bodoland had remained disconnected from the national mainstream for years due to Congress policies, which, according to him, fuelled instability and violence for political gain. “Instead of resolving problems, Congress practiced divisive politics — choosing fire over peace, distrust over faith, and neglect over dialogue,” Modi said.
Accusing the Congress of appeasement politics, Modi alleged that the party opened Assam’s doors to illegal infiltration for electoral gains, leading to large-scale encroachment of land. He credited Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government with reclaiming encroached land and restoring it to indigenous Assamese communities.
The Prime Minister said the development of the Northeast was never a priority for the Congress but claimed that the BJP government had brought lasting peace through the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord. “Thousands of youths have abandoned violence and returned to the mainstream. They are now being supported with financial assistance, education and employment opportunities,” he said.
Highlighting development initiatives in Bodoland, Modi listed the formation of the Bodo-Kachari Development Council, a special package of ₹1,500 crore, medical colleges in Kokrajhar and Tamulpur, nursing and paramedical institutions, polytechnic colleges, a separate development department, and an administrative college. He also spoke of proposed road and rail connectivity projects linking Kokrajhar with Bhutan, which he said would boost trade and tourism.
“Assam has emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing states, and Bodoland has played a crucial role in this progress,” Modi said, expressing confidence that the trust placed in the BJP by Assamese and Bodo communities would continue.
On Sunday, January 18, the Prime Minister is scheduled to perform the foundation-laying ceremony for the ₹6,950-crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project at Kaliabor in Nagaon district. The 86-km project includes a 35-km elevated wildlife corridor through Kaziranga National Park, 21 km of bypasses, and the widening of a 30-km stretch of National Highway 715 from two lanes to four lanes. The project aims to ensure uninterrupted animal movement while improving regional connectivity.
During the programme, Modi will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains — Guwahati (Kamakhya)–Rohtak and Dibrugarh–Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) — further strengthening rail connectivity between Assam and northern India.