"Assam Cannot Be Led By People Who Visit Pakistan Frequently:" Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said Assam cannot be led by people who make frequent visits to Pakistan, apparently referring to state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi's alleged links with the foreign nation.

He asserted that the BJP-led NDA will form the third consecutive government in Assam next year, riding on the back of the massive development works of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Addressing a rally of panchayat representatives here, Mr Shah blew the 'war bugle' for Assam assembly polls due in March-April next year and said the state cannot be represented by leaders who protect the infiltrators and encroachers.

"Modi carried out immense development works across the country, and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma took that flow to every household of the state. On the back of these works, the BJP-led NDA will form the government in Assam for the third consecutive term next year," he said.

Slamming opposition Congress, Mr Shah said Assam cannot be allowed to be led by people who encourage encroachments by infiltrators.

"Assam will continue to be led by Modi and Sarma," he added.

Alluding to Mr Gogoi, Mr Shah said, "Assam cannot be led by people who visit Pakistan frequently." The Assam CM and the BJP have been attacking the Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha over his British wife's alleged connection with Pakistan's spy agency ISI.

Sarma had claimed that Mr Gogoi's British wife Elizabeth Colburn had travelled 19 times between India and Pakistan.

Mr Shah said, "Infiltrators encroached thousands of acres of our land. The BJP government launched a drive to clear encroachments, but Gaurav Gogoi opposed it. The Assam government freed 1,29,548 acres from encroachment by infiltrators." The home minister asserted that the BJP has restored the sanctity of Srimanta Sankardeva and Mahapurush Madhavdeva's satras (Vaishnavite monasteries) by evicting infiltrators from their lands.

"Infiltrators encroached on the lands of Srimanta Sankardeva and Mahapurush Madhavdeva's satras during the Congress regime. Even if Mr Gogoi opposes, the BJP will clear every inch of encroached land from infiltrators. You (Gogoi) can do whatever you like, we won't stop," he added.

Mr Shah also claimed that the BJP government in Assam launched special operations to arrest the infiltrators, who used to marry the minor daughters of the state.

"Sarma government is also doing social reforms. He launched a big education scheme for girls. Currently, over nine lakh girls are studying with this scholarship," he added.

About Congress' performance in recent rural polls, Mr Shah said, "If you want to find them in Assam panchayats, you will not find even with binoculars. When Sarma announced the panchayat polls and results were declared, the Congress was wiped out from the scene." The panchayat poll was significant because it was the first election after the delimitation exercise, and PM Modi's development era in Assam and the Northeast has led to the presence of BJP representatives everywhere - from panchayat to parliament, he added.

"That is why the BJP wins every time. After the 1980's, the panchayat poll's result came with 74 per cent voting. From Assam, we have 11 MPs in the Lok Sabha out of 14 seats, five Rajya Sabha MPs. BJP has won all the 11 bypolls that took place after 2021. We have won the autonomous council polls in Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills and Rabha-Hasong," Mr Shah said.

Praising the PM Modi-led central government, the former BJP national president asserted that the PM has developed the entire Northeast.

"Modi popularised Ahom general Lachit Barphukan. He established the 125-feet-tall statue of Lachit Barphukan and translated his biography into 23 languages. Now, every child knows about the person," Mr Shah said.

Claiming that peace has returned to Assam during PM Modi's tenure, he informed the gathering that over 10,000 youths have laid down arms and a number of peace accords have been signed with many militant organisations across the region.

"This has led to peace not only in Assam, but the entire Northeast. In the Advantage Assam summit, over 5 lakh-crore worth of MoUs were signed. Out of that, MoUs worth Rs 1.4 lakh-crore have already started on the ground. The Rs 27,000-crore semiconductor factory by Tatas in Jagiroad is a game-changer for development in Assam," he added.

Mr Shah also said the Sarma government has already appointed 1.21 lakh youths in four years without any corruption and nepotism, against the promise of one lakh jobs.

"I believe this figure will touch 1.5 lakh by the time the state goes to polls next year," he said.

The BJP had promised to provide one lakh government jobs every year in Assam during the campaigning of the 2021 assembly polls, but later modified that the figure was for the entire five-year tenure.

"Once Congress had said bye-bye to Assam, now Modi and Sarma are taking Assam to new heights by all-round development," Mr Shah said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)