Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused Congress of “neglecting” the Northeast during its rule and said that the BJP-led NDA government considers the region as “Ashtalakshmi”. The Prime Minister made the remarks during a public meeting in Assam ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
Exhorting party workers to intensify efforts for the forthcoming polls, the Prime Minister said the BJP’s rise and achievements are rooted in the dedication of its cadre.
“I say with pride that the greatest honour of my life is that Narendra Modi is a karyakarta of BJP,” he said. “Whatever heights the BJP has reached, the credit goes to our party workers. Our faith lies in the organisation.”
He added that party workers are the life-force of the BJP and that their collective strength drives the organisation forward. “We are united by one mantra, and that mantra is: Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” he said, while also offering salutations to Maa Adi Shakti and Maa Kamakhya.
The Prime Minister accused Indian National Congress (INC) of pursuing “vote bank and appeasement” politics and neglecting the Northeast during its tenure.
“The Northeast, which was neglected by Congress, is our priority and we are devoted to its development. For us, the Northeast is our Ashtalakshmi,” he said, referring to the region as a symbol of prosperity and strength.
Calling this his first visit to the region after the presentation of the Union Budget, he said the NDA government has placed strong emphasis on infrastructure development to make the Northeast economically self-reliant.
He said that earlier, mention of the Northeast evoked images of poor infrastructure. “And today, such highways are being built here where not only vehicles run, but even aircraft can land. This is a moment of pride. This is the changing spirit of Assam,” he said.
The Prime Minister also paid tributes to the security personnel who lost their lives in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.
“Today is the anniversary of the Pulwama attack. I bow to the brave sons of Mother India who lost their lives. After this terrorist attack, the way India punished the terrorists was witnessed by the entire world,” he said, adding that the country had demonstrated its strength through subsequent action.
(With agency inputs)
