Narendra Modi promises to put Assam on trajectory of speedy development
Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday started his two-day campaign trails in Assam by slamming the ruling Congress party for 60-years of misrule.
Asserting that his fight was not against chief minister Tarun Gogoi but "poverty, corruption and destruction" of the state, Modi who addressed four public meetings asked for five years to reverse the trend.
Modi who attracted massive turn out in his rallies called for a change of regime in Assam. “You gave 60-years to Congress expecting development but you yourself have seen the result. I am asking for five years from you,” said Modi. He added, “What the Congress party could not do for you in 60-years, we will do in five years.”
While addressing a rally at Tinsukia in Upper Assam, Modi said, “Assam was one of the most prosperous states at the time of independence. Today, it is one of the poorest. There are many villages in Assam which don’t have electric poles.”
Referring to the massive turn out of people Modi said Assam is all set to get a young capable chief minister in Sarbananda Sonowal.
Modi mocked the octogenarian Assam chief minister for his continuous tirade against the Prime Minister in public meetings claiming that his fight is with Modi. “I am not here to fight with Gogoi. My fight is against poverty, unemployment, corruption, absence of education, sickness, backwardness and Assam's destruction,” said Modi while taking a dig at the age of 79-years old chief minister added, “Gogoiji, in a few years will be 90. You are my elder. I come to Assam to say ‘pranam’ (respect) to you and not fight with you. According to our tradition, the elder blesses the younger. This is the time for you to bless the younger one.”
He urged the people to give the BJP a chance to rule the state for next five years and asked them to question what the current Congress government has done in last 15-years of its rule.
"The people of Assam have the right to ask the government where their money went," he said. He announced that his party aimed at providing "education to the poor, employment to the youth and medicines to the senior citizens". He also regretted that present government headed by Gogoi was not capable of utilising the money sent by the Centre. He said that Gogoi has not been able to give accounts of money sent to him from the centre to the CAG.
Earlier, addressing a public rally in Tinsukia, the tea belt of Upper Assam, Modi said, “When I was a tea-seller, it was Assam tea that I sold which refreshed people, I owe it to Assam for that.” Prime Minister also recalled his association with the state as a BJP worker. Modi addressed rallies at Majuli, Narayanpur, Bokakhat and Jorhat on Saturday.
He is scheduled to address two more rallies at Rangapara and Hailakandi on Sunday. Election for 126 Assam Assembly seats is scheduled on April 4 and 11 next.
