Guwahati, Feb 25: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified the northeast region to make it India’s “Growth Hub”.
Addressing a gathering in Nagaon district’s Batadrava Than, Shah said that the Modi government has already started work to make the northeast region as the growth engine of India.
Addressing a public rally in Bordowa, Nagaon (Assam). https://t.co/pEUhe6Ox1K
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 25, 2021
“To take the northeast development in a mission mode, the Prime Minister had visited the region 35 times in the past five years. The Congress leaders and ministers visited Assam only during the election time,” the senior BJP leader said.
“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stewardship, a new era of development has started in Assam and the northeast region. The entire northeast region is transforming. Northeast India will emerge as the highest contributor in the GDP of India.”
Urging the people to reinstall the BJP government for the second time, Shah promised that his party’s vision is to make Assam an infiltration-free, flood-free, corruption-free, violence-free, agitations-free number one state in India.
Glad to see the amazing enthusiasm and support from our sisters and brothers of Assam at a public meeting in Bordowa, Nagaon. pic.twitter.com/JbnI0rUZUW
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 25, 2021
“A satellite-based survey has been conducted and plans are afoot to permanently resolve the flood problem and to undertake many projects to develop tourism and other infrastructures,” he said.
The Batadrava Than in central Assam’s Nagaon district is the birthplace of social reformer Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, who was a 15th-16th century Assamese saint, scholar, poet, playwright, social-religious reformer and a figure of importance in Assam’s cultural and religious history.
Shah on Thursday launched the work of a state-funded Rs 188-crore project for the beautification of Batadrava Than.
Saying that the center and state double engine governments of BJP have undertaken a large number of steps for the all-round development of Assam and protection of Assamese culture and traditions, Shah said that the NDA government has awarded famous singer and composer Bhupen Hazarika with Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhushan award posthumously to former Assam Chief Minister and Congress leader Tarun Gogoi.
“Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh represented Assam, the Congress-ruled Assam 15 years (2001-2016) but did nothing for the betterment of Assam and its people.
The BJP led NDA government has constructed over 20,000 km road, many bridges, airports, railway projects, approved a lot of gas and oil-based projects, many mega health institutions including AIIMS, many educational institutions,” he pointed out.
The Home Minister said that the BJP government in Assam, to protect and promote the traditions and culture of Assam had provided Rs 2.5 lakh each to 8 thousand “Namghars” (traditional Vaishnavite monasteries of Assam) under the Assam Darshan Programme.
“Namghars”, literally meaning Prayer House, introduced by Srimanta Sankardeva, are places for congregational worship associated with the entire Assamese community and the Ekasarana sect of Hinduism, in particular, that is native to Assam.
In the “Namghars” Assamese people can culture and practice Naam (devotional songs) and Bhakti of God (devotion).
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, state’s Finance, Education and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also spoke in the gatherings.
Later in the day, Shah will visit the hill district of Karbi Anglong where he will address another public meeting at Dengaon and is expected to meet surrendered extremists.
Shah visited Assam on February 11 and January 23 and addressed several public rallies.
On February 11, with eyes on Assembly polls in Assam and West Bengal, he met influential Koch-Rajbongshi leader ‘Maharaj’ Ananta Rai and spent about an hour at his home in western Assam’s Chirang district.
The Koch-Rajbongshi people, living in Assam and West Bengal, claim to have over 18.5 lakh votes in the two states.