Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of handing over Assam’s land to infiltrators for votes during its rule in the northeastern state.
Addressing a rally in Nagaon district on the second day of his visit to poll-bound Assam, Modi said infiltration "kept increasing" during Congress rule, with illegal immigrants "encroaching upon forests, animal corridors and traditional institutions".
"The BJP government is protecting Assam's identity and culture by evicting infiltrators who encroached land," he asserted.
"Infiltrators are disturbing the demographic balance, attacking culture, snatching jobs from the poor and youth, and fraudulently occupying land in tribal areas, posing a grave threat to both Assam and the nation’s security," Modi said.
He urged people to remain vigilant of the Congress, as its “only policy is to protect infiltrators and gain power”.
"The Congress and its allies are following this approach across the country, and during the Bihar polls, they organised marches and rallies to shield infiltrators, but people there completely rejected them. The people of Assam, too, will give a strong response to them," the PM added.
Modi said the Congress has lost the trust of the people, giving a "message of negative politics", and claimed that the BJP is the "first choice” of voters in the country.
"Voters trust the BJP for good governance and development. In the Bihar polls, people gave the party record votes and seats even after 20 years in power," he said.
In the Maharashtra civic polls, he added, people voted for the BJP, and even in Kerala, "we now have a mayor from the party".
"Just two days ago, the results of mayoral and councillor elections in major cities of Maharashtra were declared. Mumbai, one of the largest municipal corporations in the world, gave the BJP a record mandate for the first time, while people in most cities of the state have given us an opportunity to serve," Modi said.
"The recent election results across the country clearly show that voters want good governance and development, with focus on both progress and heritage," he said, adding that these elections send another message: the country is consistently rejecting the "negative politics" of the opposition.
"The Opposition lost the trust of the nation because it has no agenda for development, and such a party can never serve the interests of Assam or Kaziranga," Modi asserted.
He described Kaziranga as "not just a national park, but the soul of Assam and a priceless jewel of India’s biodiversity, recognised by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site".
The PM was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Rs 6,957-crore Kaziranga Elevated Corridor and virtually flagging off two Amrit Bharat trains.
He noted that Kaziranga is home to the one-horned rhinoceros, which faces challenges during floods when seeking higher ground and must cross national highways, often getting trapped.
"The government is committed to ensure smooth traffic while keeping the forest safe. After the completion of the elevated corridor, vehicles will pass above while wildlife movement below will remain unhindered, with the design prepared keeping in mind traditional movement routes of rhinos, elephants and tigers," Modi said.
He said the corridor will improve connectivity between Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and, along with new rail services, create new opportunities for the people.
Modi also highlighted that BJP government efforts ensured no rhinos were killed due to poaching in Kaziranga in 2025.
"There was a time when rhino poaching was a major concern, with dozens of one-horned rhinos killed in 2013 and 2014, but the BJP government decided to strengthen security arrangements, provide modern resources to the forest department, enhance surveillance, and increase women’s participation through ‘Van Durga’," he said.
"India has shown to the world that both ecology and economy can march together," Modi added.
He said protecting nature opens opportunities, noting that Kaziranga has seen a rise in tourism in recent years, with local youth finding new sources of income through homestays, guide services, transport, handicrafts and small businesses.
Modi said the northeast has long felt left behind in development, a sentiment he said BJP governments at the Centre and states are working to change.
"The BJP governments at the Centre and states have changed this sentiment by prioritising the development of the northeast, and we began simultaneously to connect Assam through roadways, railways, airways and waterways," he said.
The PM also highlighted increased rail investment in the state. "When the Congress was in power at the Centre, Assam received only about Rs 2,000 crore in the rail budget, but his government increased it more than five times to nearly Rs 10,000 crore annually."
"This enhanced investment has led to large-scale infrastructure development, with new rail lines, doubling and electrification boosting railway capacity and passenger facilities," he said.
Modi concluded that Assam's development is opening up opportunities for the entire northeast, with the Act East Policy gaining a new direction that will take the region "to new heights".