PM Modi claims conspiracy to defame Indian tea

Dhekiajuli (Assam): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday claimed an international conspiracy has been hatched to "defame" Indian tea, on a visit to Assam, a major producer of the brew.

On a second visit to the election-bound state in a fortnight, he also pitched for setting up at least one medical college and a technical institution in each state that will impart education in the native language. Modi said he always linked the progress of tea garden workers to the development of Assam.

"But documents have emerged to show that a conspiracy has been hatched outside the country to defame Indian tea. I am sure the tea workers from Assam will give a befitting reply.

"No tea garden worker in Assam can tolerate this attack and I am sure they will win this fight against these conspirators as they are stronger than these forces with vested interest," he said.

The prime minister was apparently referring to Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg's controversial 'toolkit', which she tweeted and then deleted, outlining ways in which people can participate in the farmers protest.

One of the points reportedly mentioned there was to "disrupt yoga and chai image of India in general".

NGO Greenpeace's had also claimed in a report a few years ago about alleged overuse of pesticides in Indian tea industry.