Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Assam’s Darrang district on Sunday, where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for various developmental projects, including a new medical college, road infrastructure, and clean energy initiatives.
His address, however, took a strongly emotional tone as he criticised Congress for allegedly insulting Bharat Ratna awardee Bhupen Hazarika, a cultural icon in Assam.
PM Modi began his visit by recalling the celebrations held a day earlier to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Bhupen Hazarika.
Describing the singer as a ‘great son of India’, PM Modi paid rich tribute to Hazarika’s contribution to music, culture, and the identity of Assam and the Northeast.
He remarked, “The dreams of great sons and daughters like Bhupen Da are being fulfilled by our double-engine government.”
Thousands of locals gathered at Mangaldoi in Darrang district to witness the Prime Minister laying the foundation stones for a series of health education initiatives, which include a new Medical College and Hospital, a GNM school, and a BSc Nursing College.
In addition, he inaugurated the foundation for the Guwahati Ring Road Project aimed at easing traffic and boosting urban connectivity, as well as the Kuruwa-Narengi Bridge over the Brahmaputra, a vital infrastructure project expected to strengthen transport links in the region.
Strong Criticism of Congress
PM Modi directly attacked the Congress party, referring to an old remark a Congress president allegedly made when they awarded Bhupen Hazarika the Bharat Ratna.
“The Congress chief had said, ‘Modi is giving Bharat Ratna to those who sing and dance’,” he quoted, calling it deeply disrespectful to the people of Assam.
PM Modi added that such insults deeply wounded him, even more than personal attacks, stating, “I am a devotee of Lord Shiv, I can take poison. But if someone else is abused, I cannot bear it.”
He also referred to a controversial 1962 statement by former Prime Minister Nehru during the Indo-China war, implying a long-standing pattern of disregard by the Congress towards the Northeast.
Major Development Announcements
Despite the emotional undertone, PM Modi will mark his visit with key infrastructure announcements.
Later in the day, PM Modi will travel to Numaligarh in the Golaghat district to inaugurate a new bio-ethanol plant, a clean energy project by Assam Bio-Ethanol Private Limited.
He will also lay the foundation stone for a polypropylene plant at Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), expected to bolster the petrochemical sector and create jobs.
The Prime Minister will conclude his visit by reaffirming his commitment to the Northeast, calling it a divine part of the nation.
“For me, the Northeast is God. If I don’t share my pain here, where else will I?” he said, striking a deeply personal note that will resonate with the crowd
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