Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his final day in Assam to draw sharp political lines, combining a development pitch with a direct attack on the Congress over immigration, identity and governance.
Addressing a public rally in Dibrugarh district after unveiling a Rs 10,601-crore fertiliser plant at Namrup on Sunday, PM Modi accused the Congress of indulging in “anti-national” activities and helping illegal Bangladeshi immigrants settle in Assam.
“The Congress is indulging in anti-national activities. They want illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam's forests and lands. They only want to strengthen their vote bank, and don't care about the people,” the prime minister said.
PM Modi alleged that the Opposition party had shown little concern for the identity and interests of Assamese people.
“The Congress is opposing the revision of voter lists as it only wants to grab power... They oppose whatever good I try to do... The BJP government will always work to protect the identity, land, pride and existence of Assamese people,” he said.
Linking the present political contest to what he described as years of neglect, Modi claimed the Congress had left behind unresolved problems.
“The Congress has inflicted ‘so much wrongs’ to this country that despite ‘correcting’ those for the last 11 years, a lot of work still remained to bring everything on track,” he said.
He cited the Opposition to awarding the Bharat Ratna to Bhupen Hazarika as an example.
“When our government awarded Dr Bhupen Hazarika the Bharat Ratna, the Congress openly opposed the decision. Its national president remarked that ‘Modi nachne gane walon ko Bharat Ratna de raha hai’ (Modi is giving Bharat Ratna to dancers-singers), which is an insult to both Bhupen Da and the people of Assam,” PM Modi said.
The prime minister said the BJP government aimed to restore Assam’s past strength. “Industrialisation and connectivity are fulfilling Assam's dreams. The double-engine government of the BJP is empowering youths to see new dreams.”
At the centre of the rally was the Namrup urea plant, which Modi said would support farmers and generate employment.
“The Namrup fertiliser plant in Assam will become the epitome of the country's industrial growth. It is sad that the Congress did not make efforts to modernise the plant, and find solutions to problems faced by farmers,” he said.
He pointed to the decline of earlier facilities at Namrup. “One after another, units got closed at Namrup, as the technology became redundant.”
PM Modi said uninterrupted fertiliser supply was critical for agriculture. “Among various agricultural welfare initiatives, it is essential to ensure a continuous supply of fertiliser to our farmers. This urea factory will fulfill that need.”
With an annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes, he said the plant would make supply chains more efficient and cut logistics costs.
Reiterating the government’s farmer-focused agenda, Modi said, “Many fertiliser factories were closed during the Congress rule, but when we came to power, the BJP government established several new plants throughout the country.”
He also spoke about the Centre’s palm oil mission. According to Modi, it would make the northeast self-sufficient in edible oil and raise farmers’ income.
Referring to Assam’s tea sector, the Prime Minister said the state’s produce was gaining global recognition. “When Russian President Vladimir Putin recently visited India, Assam's black tea was gifted to him.”
He highlighted welfare measures for tea garden workers.
“We facilitated the opening of Jan Dhan accounts for 7.5 lakh tea garden workers in Assam. Funds can now be transferred directly to their accounts, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency. The BJP government is also working to improve basic amenities in tea garden regions,” he said.
PM Modi stressed that national growth depended on the northeast.
“The benefits of development have reached the poor in far-flung areas of the country. Due to our relentless efforts, 25 crore people have been uplifted from poverty and a neo-middle class has been created in India,” he said.
Citing data on fertiliser production, he said urea output had risen to 306 lakh metric tonnes from 225 lakh metric tonnes in 2014. “India needs 380 lakh metric tonnes annually. We are moving towards eliminating this gap. The fertiliser that we import, we give subsidies on it so that our farmers do not feel the burden.”
He cautioned farmers against excessive use of urea. “We need to protect our motherland. If we care and protect it, only then will it give us the fruits,” Modi said.
On direct benefit transfers, he said, “Funds are being directly transferred to the accounts so that farmers do not have to wander for loans. So far, around Rs 4 lakh crore has been transferred to farmers' accounts under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.”
Recalling past shortages, PM Modi said, “Earlier, farmers had to wait in long queues for urea, with police personnel often deployed at distribution centres, who sometimes resorted to lathicharge to maintain order.”
He ended with a final contrast between the two parties. “What the Congress government neglected, our government is committed to rebuilding with full dedication.”