GUWAHATI, March 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Friday that the era of bombs and gunfire in the Northeast is over, crediting the BJP with delivering lasting peace while accusing the Congress of signing accords for “selfish political interests.”
Speaking virtually at a public meeting in Assam’s Kokrajhar district from Guwahati—after rain disrupted his travel—Modi highlighted the state’s transformation under the “double-engine” government. “Assam is writing a new chapter of peace and development,” he said.
Modi alleged Congress jeopardized national security by handing indigenous lands to infiltrators, urging voters: “Punish the Congress in the upcoming elections and send a clear message that there is no place for infiltrators in this country.” With Assam Assembly polls likely in April, he claimed Congress colluded with infiltrators, denying land rights to locals in districts like Dhubri, Goalpara, and Kokrajhar.
Praising Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s anti-encroachment drive, Modi noted: “The BJP government has handed rights to indigenous people,” thanking tribal communities for their support. He accused Congress of decades of betrayal in Kokrajhar through false promises and showpiece accords, contrasting it with BJP’s permanent peace efforts in Bodoland.
“Bodoland’s hills once echoed with guns and blasts; now, it’s the beats of ‘kham’ drums and ‘siphoong’ flutes,” Modi said. He credited removing Congress from power for enabling honest development.
Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi’s “Mohabbat ki Dukaan,” Modi called Congress a “jhute vaido ke dukkan” (shop of false promises) that multiplies lies, unlike the BJP’s promise-fulfilling model. The double-engine government commits to preserving Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) culture and accelerating growth.
Modi expressed gratitude for BTR’s support, recalling the ‘Bagurumba dwhou’ event and praising Bodo preservation of Bathou traditions and Bwisagu festival. He inaugurated projects worth over Rs 4,750 crore, including Rs 1,100 crore for Bodoland roads, new trains, a railway workshop, Bhutan connectivity, and station modernizations to boost trade, tourism, and logistics
