Guwahati, Dec. 29: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday took a dig at the Congress, alleging that the Opposition party, for the sake of vote-bank politics, had cast a shadow of doubt over the very existence of Assam.
“In 11-years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure, Assam has been progressing on the path of development, moving forward in step with the nation. It was the Opposition, which now claims to be Assam’s well-wisher, that had introduced a law in 1983 to settle infiltrators here. Infiltrators pose a great threat to Assam’s art, culture, music, and language,” Shah said during the inauguration of the Jyoti–Bishnu International Art Centre here.
Shah also inaugurated the newly-constructed Guwahati Police Commissioner’s office, built at a cost of Rs 111 crore, the Command-and-Control Centre built at a cost of Rs 178 crore and a state-level exhibition on three new criminal laws.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and several other distinguished dignitaries were present on the occasion.
In his address, the Union home minister said Assam has emerged from a very long, nightmare-like period. “Over a decade ago, the state witnessed bomb blasts, blockades, firing, violent groups, and agitations. But under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past 11 years, Assam has moved onto the path of development and is now progressing in step with the rest of the country,” Shah said.
He said that infiltrators had encroached upon land across Assam, but over the past 10 years—especially during the last five years of Himanta Biswa Sarma’s tenure—1.29 lakh bighas of land have been cleared of encroachments.
“Those who speak about Assam’s art, literature, and culture were the ones who brought a law in 1983 to settle infiltrators here putting Assam’s art, culture, music, and language at stake,” the home minister said, referring to the Congress tenure in the state.
“For vote-bank politics, the Opposition had even put a question mark on Assam’s very existence. But now, the BJP government has been in power in Assam for the past 10 years, and in the next five years, we will drive out each and every infiltrator from Assam, which will protect Assam’s culture, language and music,” he said.
He said that the Modi government has established peace in Assam by entering into agreements with all violent groups of the state. “As a result of these agreements, more than 10,000 youths have laid down their arms and returned to the mainstream, and Assam is now moving forward on the path of development.
“Today, industries worth lakhs and crores of rupees are being set up in Assam, infrastructure is being developed, Kaziranga has become one of the country’s most important tourist destination,” he said, adding that after a long time, an appropriate memorial has also been built for the martyrs of the Assam Movement, thereby delivering a form of justice to them.
Earlier this morning, a grand memorial of Srimanta Sankardev was also inaugurated at Batadrava in Nagaon. Shah, while addressing the gathering, said clearing encroachments by infiltrators from 162 acres of land and constructing a memorial of Srimanta Sankardev is a significant symbol of the revival of Assam’s culture.
