Modi in Assam: PM accuses Congress of ‘shielding infiltrators’, promises UCC

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (April 1) alleged that the Congress, if voted to power in Assam, would move to introduce a law aimed at protecting infiltrators, a step he said the BJP and its allies would oppose.

‘Congress trying to divide country ’

Addressing a poll rally at Gogamukh in Dhemaji district, Modi said the Congress' objective was to "turn the majority community into a minority and create a permanent vote bank of infiltrators''.

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"Congress leaders are openly saying that they will bring in a new law in Assam to protect infiltrators and are openly supporting them," the PM alleged.

He also accused the party of "trying to divide the country as the Muslim League did during Partition". "The Congress have also stabbed the Constitution prepared by Babasaheb Ambedkar," Modi said.

Promise of UCC in Assam

The Prime Minister said that a return to power for the BJP would see steps such as the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code and safeguards for tribals under the Sixth Schedule to preserve Assam’s identity.

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''The BJP's 10-year rule heralded a new dawn of 'seva' (service) and 'sushasan' (good governance) in Assam," he said, adding that, in the public view, only the BJP-led NDA had the capacity to build modern infrastructure in the state.

Dig at Rahul

"The BJP will make a hat-trick in Assam elections with people's blessings, whereas the Congress will make a century of defeats in elections," he said.

In a veiled dig at the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi dubbed him as “Congress's self-proclaimed prince”, stating that “a century of defeat” was in store for him. He also asserted that the BJP-led NDA government would score a hat trick in Assam by retaining power for the third time in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

Decade of governance in focus

Addressing a public rally in Assam's Gogamukh, PM Modi further lauded the work of the BJP-led government in Assam for their work in the last 10 years, stating that it is an "era of service and good governance."

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"Under the leadership of Shri Sarbananda Sonowal first, and then under the guidance of Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam has witnessed a new era of service and good governance in the past 10 years. These Assam elections are the election to build a developed Assam for a developed India. This time, a hat-trick for the BJP-NDA government is certain. And a hat-trick of defeat for Congress is also certain. And a century of defeat for Congress's self-proclaimed prince is also on the cards," said PM Modi.

Crowd turnout as electoral signal

The Prime Minister also said that the large-scale public support for the BJP was a "proof" that it would come to power in the state for the third time.

"After the announcement of the Assam election, this is my first public meeting. This ocean of people is proof that winning the election for the third time is certain. With your blessings, I have achieved the hattrick of becoming Prime Minister. This is my third visit to this ground. With your blessings, we will win Assam for the third time," the PM said as quoted by Asian News International.

Manifesto focus on welfare expansion

As for the BJP’s manifesto in Assam, the Prime Minister laid out a set of welfare promises while pitching continuity for a third term in the state. He said the party’s plan would extend housing, education and income-linked schemes to a wider base, with a particular focus on low-income households and women.

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Referring to housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, PM Modi said over 15 lakh additional families would be covered, while education support would be expanded to ensure free schooling for economically weaker sections from early years onward. He also spoke about scaling up the Lakhpati Didi initiative, projecting a sharp rise in the number of women beneficiaries across Assam.

"In the past, more than 22 lakh families got pucca houses. The BJP manifesto says that those who did not get a PM Awas house will surely get a pucca house. In the future, 15 lakh more families will be guaranteed pucca houses. Poor families will get free education from KG to PG. With the Lakhpati Didi Abhiyan, 3 lakh sisters of Assam have become Lakhpati Baideo. The NDA will ensure that 40 lakh sisters become Lakhpati Baideo. The Assam BJP is going to expand the Orunodoi scheme and add more benefits," said PM Modi.

Orunodoi expansion hinted

The Prime Minister also indicated that the proposed expansion of schemes like Orunodoi would add further support for beneficiaries already enrolled, though he did not spell out specifics at the rally.

Polling for all 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam is scheduled to take place in a single phase on April 9, with counting set for May 4. The contest is expected to centre on a direct fight between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and the Congress. The BJP is contesting the election alongside the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bodoland People’s Front, while the opposition party is seeking to unseat the incumbent government and return to power after a decade.

(With agency inputs)