Rahul Gandhi Disrespected Assam By Not Wearing 'Gamocha' At President's Republic Day Event: Amit Shah

Amit Shah unveils development projects worth Rs 1,715 crore in Assam

Update: 2026-01-30 10:35 GMT
Questioning the political legacy of the Congress party in Assam, he said, “I ask Rahul Gandhi what Congress has given to Assam except guns, bullets, conflicts and deaths. Congress did nothing for Assam's development but BJP committed to the state's progress.” — X.com

Guwahati: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday launched a frontal attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing him of disrespecting the state’s cultural tradition by not wearing the traditional gamocha at the President’s Republic Day reception.

Stating that all dignitaries, including those from abroad, had worn the scarf as a mark of respect, Mr Shah said that Mr Gandhi was the only person to refuse to do so.

Addressing a public rally in Dibrugarh, Mr Shah said, “Rahul Gandhi can do whatever he wants, but as long as the BJP is in power, it will not allow any disrespect of the culture and tradition of Assam and northeast.”

Questioning the political legacy of the Congress party in Assam, he said, “I ask Rahul Gandhi what Congress has given to Assam except guns, bullets, conflicts and deaths. Congress did nothing for Assam's development but BJP committed to the state's progress.”

Mr Shah also accused the Congress of using infiltration as a weapon for its vote bank politics. “There has been no infiltration in Assam since the BJP came to power. Those who had come to India illegally will be identified and sent back,” he said while lauding the initiatives of the BJP government led by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to drive out infiltrators from the state.

Mr Shah also highlighted the recently signed Free Trade Agreement between India and the European Union. Asserting that the Prime Minister has done a great job for the people of Dibrugarh, he said, “The biggest benefit of this free trade agreement is going to be for the people here. Tea produced in the tea gardens of Assam will reach European morning tea cups with zero tariff across all 27 EU countries.”

Pointing out that the agreement has opened a huge market for Assam tea, he said that the free trade agreement would facilitate the opportunity for Assam tea to reach nearly one-third of the world tariff-free, from Paris to Berlin besides boosting competitiveness and profits for local growers.

He also flagged his government's focus on sports and youth development, announcing the inauguration of the first phase of a state-of the-art Multidisciplinary Sports Complex in Dibrugarh. "The first phase, comparable to modern sports complexes worldwide, has been unveiled. The foundation stone for the second phase, costing Rs 209 crore, has also been laid," he said.

Mr Shah who also highlighted infrastructure projects linked to Dibrugarh's status as Assam's second capital, said that flats would be constructed for all MLAs once the Assam Legislative Assembly convenes there, a move he said would significantly boost the local economy. He also announced the establishment of the World Life and Research Institute in Dibrugarh on 120 bighas of land at a cost of Rs 292 crore, focusing on disease surveillance, research, diagnostics and capacity building.

Mr Shah said that a long-cherished vision to control the flood would soon be a reality. He said that Wetlands identified through satellite surveys would be developed into 15 large ponds to divert Brahmaputra floodwaters. "We promised to make Assam flood-free, and now the groundwork has begun," he said, adding that the project would support irrigation, enable three crops annually, boost animal husbandry and dairy farming, and promote tourism and water sports.

Mr Shah unveiled the projects worth Rs 1,715 crore, including the second legislative assembly complex in Dibrugarh in the presence of chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, MPs and MLAs of the upper Assam constituencies, several state cabinet ministers and senior government officials.

He laid the foundation stone for the Rs 284 crore second legislative assembly complex and MLA hostel as a part of the government's efforts to establish Dibrugarh as the second administrative hub.

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