"Assam ki dharti se bhi Congress ko karara jawaab milega," says PM Modi in Assam

Nagaon (Assam) [India], January 18 (ANI): In the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) record mandate in Maharashtra and Bihar and major electoral setbacks suffered by the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Congress would receive a "resounding response" from the people of Assam as well.
Addressing a public gathering in Nagaon district, the Prime Minister launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing the party of compromising Assam's land, security and interests for political gains, particularly on the issue of infiltration.
PM Modi spoke after laying the foundation stone of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project and flagging off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains.
Targeting the Congress, the Prime Minister accused the party of compromising Assam's land and interests for political gains.
"The Congress party handed over Assam's soil to infiltrators just to form governments and garner a few votes. The Congress party formed governments in Assam for decades, and during this time, infiltration kept increasing," PM Modi said.
Further intensifying his attack, the Prime Minister added that Congress follows only one policy across the country. "The Congress has only one policy: save the infiltrators, gain power with the help of infiltrators. Across the entire country, the Congress and its allies are doing just that," he said.
Referring to Bihar, PM Modi said the people had already rejected such politics. "In Bihar, too, they organised marches and rallies to protect the infiltrators, but the people of Bihar wiped the Congress clean off the slate. Now it's the turn of the people of Assam. I am confident that the Congress will receive a resounding response from the soil of Assam as well," he added.
The Prime Minister said the BJP-led government in Assam is taking firm measures to protect land from illegal encroachment.
"Today in Assam, the BJP government is effectively addressing the issue of infiltration and safeguarding your land from illegal encroachment. These efforts are made in your best interest. In contrast, during Congress rule, Assam's land was handed over to infiltrators for the sake of forming governments and securing a few votes," he said.
Referring to recent election results, PM Modi said the mandate of the people across the country is clear.
"In the recent election results that have come in, the mandate of the people is very clear. Today, the voter of the country wants good governance, want development," he said.
He added, "The victory is happening in Mumbai, but the celebrations are taking place in Kaziranga," drawing applause from the crowd.
Calling Kaziranga the pride of the state, the Prime Minister said, "Kaziranga is not just a National Park, it is the soul of Assam. It is a priceless gem of India's biodiversity. UNESCO has given it the status of World Heritage Site."
The Prime Minister further said that protecting nature also creates economic opportunities.
"When nature is protected, it also creates opportunities. In the past few years, there has been a consistent increase in the number of tourists in Kaziranga. Local youth have gained new sources of income through homestays, guide services, transportation, handicrafts, and small businesses," PM Modi said.
Rejecting the idea that development and conservation cannot go together, he said, "For a long time, a notion persisted that nature and progress are opposites. But today, India is showing the world that both can move forward together. Economy too, ecology too."
The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project.
"To protect wildlife during floods, a 90-kilometre-long corridor is being constructed from Kaliabor to Numaligarh, with an investment of approximately Rs 7,000 crore. This project includes a 35-kilometre elevated section specifically designed for wildlife, allowing vehicles to travel overhead without disrupting animal movement below," he said.
Moreover, PM Modi also spoke about conservation successes in Kaziranga.
"There was a time when rhino poaching in Kaziranga was a major concern for Assam. In 2013-14, dozens of one-horned rhinos were killed. The BJP government resolved to put an end to this and strengthened security measures, providing additional resources to the forest department. Women's participation was increased through the Van Durga initiative. As a result, by 2025, there have been no recorded incidents of rhino poaching," he said.
He added that both the government and people of Assam deserve praise for protecting wildlife.
Earlier today, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project (4-Laning of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of NH-715), worth over Rs 6,950 Crore, in Kaliabor, Nagaon district.
The Prime Minister also flagged off two New Amrit Bharat Express trains, Guwahati (Kamakhya)-Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express and Dibrugarh-Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express.
The project will pass through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts and will significantly improve connectivity to Upper Assam, particularly Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. (ANI)