Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sharpened his attack on the Congress in poll-bound Assam, accusing it of trying to create panic over the ongoing war in West Asia and lacking vision for the country, while urging the people of the state to remain cautious of the Opposition party.
Addressing a rally in Silchar after launching projects worth ₹23,552 crore for Barak Valley, Modi also criticised the Congress over its protest during the recently held AI Summit in Delhi and alleged that the party had opened a “factory of fake reels”.
The projects included the launch of the 167-km greenfield Silchar-Shillong High Speed Corridor, expected to cut travel time between Guwahati and Silchar to five hours from eight-and-a-half hours, and the Patharkhandi Agricultural College, part of the Centre’s push to boost connectivity and strengthen agricultural education in Barak Valley.
While his two speeches in Guwahati on Friday largely focused on the “unprecedented” development in Assam under the BJP-led government and accusing the Congress of “always backing” infiltration, Modi in Silchar targeted the party over what he called the state’s lack of progress during its rule, the February 20 “shirtless” protest during the AI Summit in Delhi, and attempts to create panic over the war in West Asia when the government was trying to minimise its impact on the country.
“Assam had long suffered from Congress’s neglect in education and healthcare. Today, Assam is emerging as a major hub of education and healthcare. Barak Valley has greatly benefited from this,” he said, adding that the Opposition party kept Assam’s youth “trapped in the vicious cycle of violence and terrorism” and made the state “a laboratory of divide-and-rule policies”.
Modi wrapped up his fifth visit since September 2025 to poll-bound Assam in Silchar. Assam goes to the polls next month. A BJP-led alliance has been in power since 2016.
“Today, from Silchar, I also want to alert Assam. You have removed Congress from Assam. Today, every state in the country is teaching Congress a lesson. Congress is losing one election after another. In the near future, Congress is about to complete a century of defeats in its history. Filled with frustration from repeated losses, Congress has opened a front against the nation itself. Congress leaders are busy tarnishing the country’s image,” Modi said.
Referring to the AI Summit held in Delhi, Modi said: “To defame this summit, Congress staged a torn-clothes protest. Now Congress has nothing left except tearing its own clothes. The entire country criticised this crude and disgraceful protest. But the royal family of Congress in Delhi is treating this scandal as a medal, applauding those who tarnish the nation. Such a party, which stands against the country, can never do good for any state, nor can it ever think of the welfare of Assam’s youth.”
Congress had defended the “democratic and peaceful” protest, saying it was meant to highlight unemployment, among other issues. Eight Youth Congress members were arrested in connection with the protest.
Modi then picked on Congress over the ongoing war in West Asia. “The situations created by war — our government is making every possible effort to ensure that our citizens face the least possible trouble. Our effort is to minimise the impact of war on our people. At this time, it was expected that Congress would play the role of a responsible political party, but once again Congress failed in this important task of national interest.”
He added: “Congress is trying its best to create panic in the country, to trap the nation in difficulties, and then to heap abuses on Modi. Congress has no vision for Assam, nor for the country. Therefore, they have turned rumours, lies, and deceit into their weapon, as if they have opened an industry of fake reels. The forces in the world that cannot digest India’s rapid development… Congress, unfortunately, is becoming their puppet. That is why every citizen of Assam, every youth, must remain cautious of Congress.”
Historic day: CM
After Modi unveiled the development projects for the Barak valley in Assam on Saturday, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that it was a ‘’historic day’’ for both the region and the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said that the Silchar-Guwahati corridor from Mawlyngkhung near Umiam in Meghalaya to Panchgram will reduce the distance between Guwahati and Silchar from 295km to 252km and cut travel time from the present 8.5 hours to about 5 hours.
The chief minister said that no one had demanded this road, but after learning that the existing route from Silchar to Guwahati via Haflong often faces disruptions for various reasons, Prime Minister Modi initiated the construction of this new high-speed corridor.
He said that in just one year, Assam received major projects, including the Silchar-Guwahati corridor involving a financial outlay of ₹22,864 crore now, and the earlier announced tunnel road cum rail project under the Brahmaputra river to be built at an estimated cost of ₹20,000 crore.
“The state had never received such large projects in the past, and this has become possible due to the Prime Minister,” he said.
The government has also planned a corridor from Srirampur to Guwahati with the aim of ensuring seamless travel from Silchar to Siliguri in Bengal within 10 hours, Sarma said.
The state government has already received environmental clearance for the construction of the greenfield Doloo Airport near here, he said.
The Centre has addressed the long-standing grievances of the people of Barak Valley, who once felt neglected, Sarma said.
“The government now carries out development initiatives across all regions, including the Barak Valley, the Brahmaputra Valley, and the hill and plain areas, with equal attention,” he said.
Shah in Guwahati
Union home minister Amit Shah arrived in Guwahati on Saturday for a two-day visit to the state, during which he will attend an official function and address a rally of the BJP’s youth wing.
Shah was received by chief minister Sarma and other senior officials at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here.
“I extend a warm welcome to Adarniya @AmitShah ji to the land of Maa Kamakhya. Adarniya Griha Mantri ji will dedicate various developmental projects and enthuse our Yuva Shakti with his words of wisdom,” Sarma said in a post on X.
Additional reporting by PTI