Congress encouraged infiltrators, failed to protect Assam’s identity: PM Modi

GUwahati: undercoat government minister Narendra Modi on sat accused the u.s. Congress of “ supporting infiltrators” in Assam instead of protecting the state’s “culture and identity” and focusing on its development.Addressing the Bagurumba Dwhou 2026, a cultural event of the Bodo community, at Guwahati’s Sarusajai Stadium, PM Modi said, “When we honour Assam’s culture and identity, there are some people who feel discomfort. It’s the Congress party which opposed conferring the Bharat Ratna on Bhupen Hazarika. The party also opposed setting up of a semiconductor facility in Assam.”“Congress doesn’t like the people of Assam; they love foreign infiltrators, as they come here and become hardcore supporters of the party. That’s why the party encouraged infiltrators, who in turn encroached large tracts of land. I am happy that the present government under CM (chief minister) Himanta Biswa Sarma is freeing lakhs of bighas of encroached land,” he added.The PM, who arrived at Guwahati airport in the evening after a day-long visit to West Bengal, went straight to the Sarusajai Stadium, where nearly 10,000 women dancers from 23 districts of Assam participated in the Bagurumba dance.“Today’s Bagurumba dance event is a lively festival of Bodo identity. It is a tribute to Bodo society and Assam’s rich heritage. The event is to honour Bodo society and remember the heroes of the community,” Modi said.Modi said the Bodo peace accord of January 2020 paved the way for peace and development in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), which administers four districts of the state.The event was attended by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita, Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, ministers of the Assam government, and several other dignitaries.On Sunday, the PM will lay the foundation stone of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project (four-laning of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of NH-715), worth over ₹6,950 crore.The 86-km-long Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project is an environmentally conscious national highway project. It will feature a 35-km elevated wildlife corridor passing through Kaziranga National Park, a 21-km bypass section, and 30 km of widening of the existing NH-715 from two to four lanes.The elevated wildlife corridor will ensure uninterrupted movement of animals and reduce human–wildlife conflict. It will also enhance road safety, reduce travel time and accident rates, and support growing passenger and freight traffic.During the programme, Modi will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains — the Guwahati (Kamakhya)–Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express and the Dibrugarh–Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express.