Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 30, Friday accused that Assam’s demography underwent a drastic change under the Congress rule, with infiltrators swelling from zero to 64 lakh and becoming the majority in seven districts of the state. Addressing the closing ceremony of the 10th Mising Youth Festival at Kareng Chapori in Dhemaji in the poll bound state, Home minister Shah mentioned that Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Goalpara, Darrang, Morigaon and Nagaon had become illegal immigrant-majority districts during the Congress era. He accused the party of deliberately altering the state’s demographics—a trend the BJP-led central government is now reversing.
Home Minister Shah urged voters to back the BJP for a third term in the upcoming April assembly elections to “completely free” Assam from infiltration and strengthen Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s hands. “Two terms of the BJP state governments have already freed 1.26 lakh acres of land from encroachment by infiltrators”, he added. The BJP first came to power in Assam in 2016 and secured the re-election in 2021.
Praising the Mising community’s role, Home Minister Shah said their hardworking culture has prevented infiltrators from settling in Upper Assam without needing violence. “It is the responsibility of the Mising community to stop infiltration through your culture of hard work”, he remarked. He also alleged that several tribal communities struggled to protect their identity under Congress, assuring that the BJP is addressing Mising community issues via a Centre-appointed interlocutor. He also said that Assam is in the heart of PM Modi and that is why he vows for the development of the state.
Home Minister Shah further contrasted Congress rule with the BJP era, challenging Rahul Gandhi: “I want to ask Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, what did you give to Assam? Violence, bomb blast, conflicts and death of youth. But after Narendra Modi took charge as the PM, we inked over 20 peace accords and over 10,000 youth surrendered weapons and returned to the mainstream”, home minister Shah asserted while questioning Rahul Gandhi.
Earlier, initiating a landmark day for decentralised governance, sports infrastructure, wildlife conservation and research and creating a robust foundation for transforming Dibrugarh into a second capital of the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, laid foundation stones for projects such as Assam Legislative Assembly complex and MLA hostels, Institute of Wildlife Health and Research, Phase II of expansion of Khanikar Stadium. The Union Home Minister also launched the Restoration and Rejuvenation of Wetlands of Assam and dedicated phase II of Khanikar Stadium.
