Modi: Anti-national Congress Wants Illegal Bangladeshis

"The Congress wants illegal immigrants to settle in Assam's forests and lands to strengthen its vote bank. They do not care about the identity, land and pride of the people of Assam," Modi said, asserting that the BJP government was committed to protecting the State's cultural and territorial integrity.

He also criticised the Congress for opposing the revision of voter lists, claiming it resisted reforms aimed at ensuring transparency. Modi said the BJP government would continue to safeguard Assam's identity, land and existence.

"The Congress is opposing the revision of voter lists as it only wants to grab power... They oppose whatever good I try to do... The BJP government will always work to protect the identity, land, pride and existence of Assamese people," Modi asserted.

He alleged that the Congress has inflicted "so much wrongs" to this country that despite "correcting" those for the last 11 years, a lot of work still remained to bring everything on track.

Referring to the conferment of the Bharat Ratna on late cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika, the Prime Minister recalled that the Congress had opposed the decision, calling it an insult to both Hazarika and the people of Assam.

"When our government awarded Dr Bhupen Hazarika the Bharat Ratna, the Congress openly opposed the decision. Its national president remarked that 'Modi nachne gane walon ko Bharat Ratna de raha hai' (Modi is giving Bharat Ratna to dancers-singers), which is an insult to both Bhupen Da and the people of Assam," Modi asserted.

Modi said the BJP's objective was to restore Assam to its historic prominence, comparable to its stature during the Ahom dynasty, and highlighted the role of industrialisation and connectivity in driving development. He alleged that the Congress had failed to modernise the old fertiliser plant at Namrup and neglected farmers' issues.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of a ?10,601-crore brownfield ammonia-urea plant at Namrup, which he said would support farmers and generate employment for local youth. The project, to be developed by Assam Valley Fertiliser and Chemical Company Ltd (AVFCCL), will have an annual urea production capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes and is expected to be commissioned by 2030. It is projected as India's first fertiliser plant to use associated natural gas as its primary raw material.

Earlier in the day, Modi interacted with 25 students during a Pariksha Pe Charcha programme held aboard the cruise vessel MV Charaidew 2 on the Brahmaputra, spending about 45 minutes addressing questions on education, careers and personal development.

He also visited the Swahid Smarak Kshetra, paying homage to the martyrs of the Assam Agitation, a movement against illegal immigration that lasted from 1979 to 1985. Modi laid floral tributes at the Martyrs' Column and garlanded the bust of Khargeswar Talukdar, the first martyr of the agitation.

On Saturday, Modi unveiled an 80-foot statue of Assam's first Chief Minister Gopinath Bardoloi at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport, inaugurated the airport's new ?4,000-crore terminal, and addressed a public rally in which he accused the Congress of neglecting Assam's development and encouraging land encroachments.

The Prime Minister later departed for New Delhi from Dibrugarh airport, where he was seen off by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other cabinet colleagues.