GUWAHATI: “Only a chaiwala (tea vendor) can understand the agony of tea workers in Assam and do what is best to uplift the lot that has been left to rot during the prolonged rule on Congress,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday addressing two back-to-back BJP election rallies at Moran and Gohpur (Borongabari) in the tea belt of Assam.
Campaigning for party candidate and sitting MP Rameswar Teli at Moran under Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency and Pallab Lochan Das at Gohpur under Tezpur Lok Sabha Constituency in the tea heartland of Assam, Modi flaunted how the BJP-led NDA government had tried its best to better the life of lakhs of tea workers in Assam through various benevolent schemes.
He talked of bank accounts opened for tea workers, Rs 5000 each paid to them in their accounts, free rice and sugar for 4 lakh tea workers, Rs 12,000 grant for new mothers among tea workers etc., while reiterating the ‘chaiwala’s’ firm commitment to brighten up the life of tea workers.
“People of the country have been helping this chowkidar and the BJP-led NDA government to implement slew of welfare measures and carry out massive infrastructure development in the country, but some people (opposition parties) are losing sleep over it,” Modi said blaming the Congress and the ‘family’ leading it for the sluggish pace of development in Assam and other parts of Northeast during its 55 years of rule post Independence.
“Give this chowkidar to rule for another five years only to complete 25 years’ works in just five year. India can become strong only when Assam and the rest of Northeast become strong and take note of what the BJP-led NDA government has done for you in the last five years compared to what was done in all the previous years since Independence,” Modi said highlighting the measures taken by his government to improve the life of people of the state as well as steps taken for infrastructure development in the state.
“Only 40 % households in Assam were electrified when the NDA came to power, today almost every household in the state is connected. About 85 % household in Assam now has LPG connection compared to 40 % households with LPG connection five years back. Twenty-seven lakh families in Assam are covered under Ayushman Bharat scheme while about 50 lakh youths have been provided with mudra loans et., etc.,” Modi trumpeted adding that the NDA government provided Rs 14000 crore for the oil and gas sector alone in Assam.
He reiterated that the BJP was serious about granting ST status to six communities in Assam – Tai-Ahom, Moran, Motok, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribe – without affecting the rights and privileges of the existing ST communities in the state