In Dudhnoi/Palashbari (Assam), April 3 Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have drawn up a roadmap for tribal development, and the BJP’s return to power in the state would ensure its implementation.
Addressing a rally in Goalpara district’s Dudhnoi, he said that the Congress had never made an Adivasi woman the country’s President, but Modi changed that, and Droupadi Murmu became the nation’s first citizen.
“The Prime Minister at the Centre and the Chief Minister in Assam both have a roadmap for the development of tribals in the state. It will be taken forward if people give the BJP a mandate for the third successive time,” Shah said.
At a rally in Kamrup district’s Palashbari, he said there are allegations against the Assam Congress president of having links with India’s enemy country. “But he stays conspicuously mum about it,” Shah said.
The Union minister was referring to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s allegations against Gaurav Gogoi and his wife of having links with Pakistan’s spy agency, the ISI.
Shah, however, did not mention either Gogoi by name or identify Pakistan as the enemy country.
He also accused the Congress of trying to block a Bill for setting up an IIM in Palashbari, but asserted that the BJP ensured that it was set up in the state.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi, he said the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha may “oppose us as much as you want, but you cannot stop it (IIM) from being set up”.
Shah claimed that the BJP government aims to make Palashbari an education hub. “Approach Assam, Aspire Assam and Inspire Assam,” that is the BJP’s policy for Assam, the Union home minister said.
In Dudhnoi, Shah alleged that the Congress never talked about tribal welfare and its successive governments since Independence had spent only Rs 25,000 crore on tribal development.
But in the past 11 years, the prime minister has provided Rs 1.38 lakh crore for them, he said.
The Union minister described Goalpara as “Mini Assam” as several tribes, including the Rabha, Bodo, Hajong, and Koch, along with Adivasi tea garden workers, reside in the district. Only the BJP can ensure their development, he asserted.
Shah also declared that tribal areas will not come under the ambit of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). “The Congress is spreading rumours to scare tribals that they will be affected by the UCC, but this is absolutely untrue,” he said.
In Palashbari, Shah pointed out that the UCC will ensure no one gets permission to marry four times.
Shah also asserted that the prime minister had taken the art, culture, food, textiles, music and dance of the tribals to the global stage.
“Each tribal family will be given a cow and a buffalo, and I, as the cooperation minister, will ensure this,” he said.
“The Nehru-Gandhi family never thought of Assam’s welfare. During the 1962 India-China war, Nehru bid ‘Ta Ta, bye-bye’ to Assam... But the
BJP will not give a single inch of land to anyone,” Shah asserted.
On the recent violence in the adjoining Garo hills of Meghalaya, the Union home minister said that infiltrators sought to capture power in the Garo council by marrying tribal women, and this led to the strife.
He accused the Congress of making Assam a hub for infiltrators, and the BJP government has already started the process of sending them back. “Give us another five years in power in Assam, and we will rid the state of each and every identified infiltrator by sending them back,” Shah said.
He alleged that illegal immigrants are snatching the land of the poor, places of worship, foodgrains of the poor and job opportunities of the youth.
Claiming that the BJP has freed 1.50 lakh acres of land from encroachers, Shah urged the gathering to vote for the BJP again, “and we will finish the work of sending back the infiltrators”.
The Union home minister said the BJP restored peace in Assam, signing several accords since 2019 and bringing over 10,000 youths to the mainstream through surrenders.
He alleged that whenever he talks about disturbed times in the state since the Assam agitation days, “Rahul baba (Gandhi) says ‘why do I talk about the past’”.
“We have to remember the past mistakes made by the Congress and ensure those are not repeated,” he said.
If the Congress wins any seat in the April 9 assembly polls, the northeastern state will again witness instability, Shah asserted.
Highlighting several development projects undertaken by the BJP, the Union minister said the Congress cannot even imagine taking initiatives of this scale to ensure progress of the state.
“Don’t waste a single vote on ‘hand’ (the Congress’ poll symbol). Cast it in favour of the BJP’s lotus,” he added.
Shah said that his helicopter developed a technical glitch due to which he had to come by road to Goalpara and Dudhnoi, experiencing the beauty of Assam’s nature along the way.
He was scheduled to address three meetings during the day, but his first at Golakganj in Dhubri district had to be cancelled as he could not land there due to a snag in his helicopter.
In Dudhnoi, Shah campaigned for BJP candidates Pabitra Rabha of Goalpara West and Tankeshwar Rabha of Dudhnoi. In Palashbari, he campaigned for first-time contestants Himangshu Baishya (Palashbari) and Raju Mech (Boko-Chaygaon ST).
Elections to Assam’s 126 assembly constituencies will be held on April 9, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 4.