Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is focussed on Assam’s prosperity, self-reliance, and global recognition after bringing peace and harmony to the state, taking it out of difficulties and insecurity, and safeguarding its identity.
“The 10 years of BJP rule in Assam were to bring peace and harmony, take the state out of difficulties and insecurity, and safeguard the state’s identity. The coming years will bring in more prosperity, self-reliance, and make the state recognised across the world,” Modi said at the first of his three meetings for the day in Assam’s Barpeta ahead of the April 9 assembly polls.
Modi urged political parties to back the amendment bill to fast-track the implementation of 33% women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies during the special session of parliament convened this month. He said some people are trying to spread rumours about the legislation. “All states will benefit from the legislation. I request women in Assam to urge all political parties and leaders to pass this bill unanimously,” he said.
He attacked the Congress, saying it gave the dues meant for farmers to middlemen. “Our government transfers the same directly to their bank accounts. Through the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, farmers in Assam have received over ₹7500 crore. When rates of urea reached ₹3,000 per sack across the world, we provided the same to our farmers at a highly subsidised rate of ₹300,” said Modi.
Modi said the minimum support price (MSP) of rice was ₹1,300 per quintal during the Congress rule. He added that the BJP government increased it to ₹2,370. Modi said farmers across India got ₹4 lakh crore as MSP during Congress’s rule at the Centre from 2004 to 2014. He added that the figure increased to ₹16 lakh crore between 2014 and 2024.
Modi accused the Congress of being unjust to tribals. “Areas where tribals reside used to be the poorest in the country and ravaged by bombs and violence. In the northeast, every year, around 1,000 people used to be killed in such violence. Our government has focussed on prosperity and permanent peace in tribal areas.”
Modi referred to peace deals signed with rebel groups over the past 10-12 years and said around 10,000 laid down arms and peace returned to most parts of the region. “Peace and prosperity came to Assam after decades, and therefore it is important to keep the Congress away,” he said.
Modi accused Congress of promoting the agenda of the enemy during strikes against Pakistan. “During Operation Sindoor [in retaliation to the 2025 Pahalgam attack], our defence forces brought Pakistan to its knees within hours, but Congress sang the song Pakistan wrote,” he said, accusing the party of misleading defence personnel for years on the issue of One Rank, One Pension.
Modi accused Congress of encouraging undocumented immigrants to enter Assam and settling them. He referred to the BJP government’s campaign to evict such “encroachers” and give land rights to indigenous people and those from the tea-tribe community. “You need to be very careful. The Congress is openly supporting these illegal immigrants. The party wants to bring legislation where even calling someone an infiltrator will land you in prison. That is why the vote you give to the BJP will give security to Assam and protect the state’s identity,” he said.
