Guwahati/Imphal: Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked Congress and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for “failing” to ensure development of Northeast though he represented Assam for the last 23 years in the Rajya Sabha. “For 23 years you have been sending the Prime Minister from here. You tell me, you made such a big investment but what did you get in return. Did you get anything? … If he being yours could not do anything for you, then what will he do for the nation?” Modi told public rallies in Guwahati and Imphal.
Addressing a massive rally at Assam Veterinary Science College playground just across the road from Assam chief minister’s official residence, Modi said, ” You (people of Assam) have given Dr Manmohan Singh 23 years so far in the Parliament. You have made a big investment. But what you have got in return? Even after 23 years in the Parliament if his constituency (Assam) is in such a sorry state, then what will be fate of the country ? A mere BJP MP could have done much better.”
“You have given the country its Prime Minister, your CM is from the same party (Congress) which is in power in New Delhi. Still, Assam is in worse developed compared to other northeastern states even Nagaland. The morning cup of Assam tea wakes up crores of people every day. Still, Assam has most poor people in the country,” Modi said.
Remembering his days in Assam where he used to work as a Sangh Parivar worker for a long time and spent time in many parts of the state, Modi said people of Assam were very peaceful and generous in heart but the wrong policies of the bred insurgency and loss of lives of so many youth in the state over the years.
He promised special development schemes, employment generation programmes and setting up of IT hubs in Assam and rest of the Northeast one BJP came back to power in New Delhi after the next general election.
He termed all the eight N-E states including Sikkim as ‘Asta Lakshmi’ and said Lakshmi (goddess of opulence) sit on ‘Kamal’ (lotus, the BJP’s symbol).
He said development was the key to all problems and the ‘demographic dividend’ of 65 % people being under the age of 35 years would turn ‘demographic defect ‘ if jobs could not be created for them. He underlined the need for creation of a skill development commission for employment generation.
He fired a broadside at false propaganda of Congress government on MNREGA throughout the country and cited that only 10,018 persons in Assam got employment under the MNREGA scheme out of 12 lakh applicants.
“You have tolerated Congress for 60 years in power in the Centre , give us (BJP) just 60 months and see how your dreams for a better life get fulfilled. The corruption has to be rooted out. Once back in power after 100 days from now, the BJP will bring back every penny of black money stashed away in foreign bank and utilize it for the welfare of masses,” Modi said.
The BJP leader pointed out that the eastern and Northeastern part of the country were far behind in development process compared to the western states of the country because of the wrong policies of successive Congress government and pledged to bring about parity in development by putting the eastern and northeastern states on the fast track of development.
Modi said Congress leaders had small hearts, were narrow minded and short sighted while the Congress government in Delhi government was busy worshipping only one family .
“Congress leaders have forgotten Sardar Patel, a national leader to the BJP. We have forced them to remember after 60 years ,” Modi said adding Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi, the first premier of Assam who worked shoulder to shoulder with Sardar Patel in keeping the country united and preventing Assam from going to Pakistan, was not given Bharat Ratna by Congress government but by the BJP-led NDA government. (With inputs from PTI)
