Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party over the issue of illegal Bangladeshi migrants in Assam, accusing it of settling and protecting them, while asserting that the BJP-led “double-engine government” was correcting decades of neglect and policy failures in the state.
Addressing a gathering in Dibrugarh after laying the foundation stone for a Rs 10,601 crore brownfield ammonia-urea fertiliser plant, Modi alleged that the Congress promoted an anti-India agenda and remained indifferent to the identity and aspirations of the Assamese people.
“The Congress has no concern for the identity of Assam and its people. They are interested only in power and doing things they did before,” Modi said. He added that the Congress preferred illegal Bangladeshi migrants, settled them, and opposed ongoing exercises to update voters’ lists. Modi claimed the party sought to consolidate its vote bank by settling migrants on Assam’s lands and forests, disregarding the consequences for locals.
Stressing the importance of protecting Assam from appeasement politics and vote-bank strategies, Modi asserted that the BJP prioritised projects enhancing the state’s prestige. He criticised Congress for opposing initiatives such as conferring the Bharat Ratna on singer Bhupen Hazarika and establishing a semiconductor unit in the state. Modi highlighted that the BJP government had granted land rights to the tea garden community and improved their living conditions, asserting, “I am a chaiwalla; if I don’t do it, who will?”
The Prime Minister also accused Congress of neglecting industrial infrastructure, particularly fertiliser units, which led to repeated shutdowns affecting farmers and workers. He pointed out that urea production in India had risen from 225 lakh metric tonnes in 2014 to around 306 lakh metric tonnes, thanks to the government’s efforts.
Modi described the day as historic for Assam and the Northeast, marking a new chapter of industrial progress with the brownfield Ammonia-Urea Fertiliser Project at Namrup under Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited. The project is expected to meet fertiliser requirements in Assam and neighbouring states, reduce import dependence, generate employment, and spur regional economic development.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said BVFCL would undergo major expansion, including a fourth plant at Namrup with a production capacity of 12.5 lakh metric tonnes per annum, expected to be completed within five years. The Assam Valley Fertiliser and Chemical Company Ltd will have an annual urea production capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes, scheduled for commissioning in 2030, enabling exports to Bhutan, Myanmar, and neighbouring Indian states.
Earlier in the day, Modi visited the Swahid Smarak Kshetra in Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati, to pay homage to the martyrs of the Assam Movement.
