NE suffering from infiltration due to Congress policies: Modi

Moran/Gohpur (Assam): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said Assam and the rest of the Northeast were suffering from infiltration due to the policies of the Congress and asserted that he, as the 'chowkidar', was committed to resolve the issue.

He also said it was the erstwhile Jana Sangh and tall leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had raised their voice in support of Bangladesh during the neighbouring country's independence movement, and not as the Opposition usually portrayed it.

"Congress has always cheated the people of Assam and if Sardar (Vallabhbhai) Patel and (first Assam chief minister) Gopinath Bordoloi had not taken a strong stand at the time of Partition, then Assam's identity would not have been what it is today," Modi said while addressing the second of the two election rallies at Gohpur in Assam.

Indirectly referring to the Chinese aggression of 1962, Modi said the Congress policy was such that it was only due to the brave people of Tezpur and the armed forces that the state could be saved.

"This chowkidar is committed to fight against Assam's problems of infiltration, terrorism and corruption and ensure the dignity of the people of the state," he said.

He urged the people to remember on polling day that Assam and the country can become free from illegal migrants and terrorists only if the BJP-led NDA is voted as on one side is the 'dumdaar chowkidar' (strong watchman) and on the other ''mahamilawat wala parivar'' (adulterated family).

Modi has targeted the opposition alliance as "mahamilawat".

He highlighted the role played by the right-wing Jana Sangh, which was recreated as the BJP in 1980, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in supporting Bangladesh liberation movement.

Indira Gandhi, who was prime minister of the country during creation of Bangladesh in 1971, is usually credited for its liberation from Pakistan.

Modi had in 2015 received award of Bangladesh Liberation War Honour on behalf of Vajpayee for his "active role" in the country's independence struggle and consolidating India's friendship with the nation.

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid had handed over the award to Modi at a function at Bangabhaban, the President's House, on June 7, 2015 which was attended by Premier Sheikh Hasina.

In his speech at that time, Modi had said he was one of the young volunteers who came to Delhi to participate in a Satyagraha launched by Jana Sangh to support Bangladeshi freedom fighters in 1971. He had also recalled Vajpayee's speech in Parliament on December 6, 1971 in which he had asked government to recognise Bangladesh as a nation.

"The whole world is with country but this has worried the Congress and they are not only opposing the chowkidar alone but also the nation. Will you give a befitting reply on the polling day," he said, launching a scathing attack on rivals.

Referring to the Ahom commander Lachit Barphukan's historic quote that the 'Deshkot ke Mama dangor no hoi'

(Mama or uncle is not greater than the nation), Modi quipped for Congress "all Mamas is greater than the country as is evident from Michel Mama, Quatrochhi Mama, etc for whom they have put the nation at stake."

He was referring to Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, and Ottavio Quattrocchi, the middleman associated with the Bofors scam.