Congress made Assam a haven for infiltrators, BJP committed to removing them: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Congress had turned Assam into a “safe haven for infiltrators” during its years in power and asserted that the BJP government is working to free the state from illegal immigration.
Addressing the Yuva Shakti Samaroha in Khamapara in Guwahati, Shah said previous Congress governments had neglected tea tribes and Adivasi communities, while the BJP had taken steps for their welfare. He said the state government had provided financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to tea garden workers and ensured land rights for around 3.5 lakh families across 707 tea gardens.
Speaking on illegal immigration, Shah said the Congress had allowed infiltrators to enter Assam and had “legalised, formalised and normalised” their presence. He said that under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, around 1.51 lakh bighas of land had been cleared from encroachers as part of efforts to address the issue.
The Home Minister also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying the exercise was removing the names of infiltrators from voter lists. “This is only the beginning — every infiltrator will eventually have to leave the country,” Shah said.
He said Assam had once been a centre of insurgency during the Congress era, which led to the deaths of hundreds of youths, but added that the BJP government has worked to restore peace through a series of accords. These include the Bodo Peace Accord in 2020, the Karbi peace accord in 2021, the Adivasi peace agreement in 2022, the DNLA agreement in 2023 and the ULFA accord in 2024.
Shah said more than 10,800 weapons had been surrendered by insurgent groups following these agreements. He also highlighted the construction of a memorial for Srimanta Sankardeva and another monument dedicated to the martyrs of the Assam Movement after land was freed from encroachment.
He said the state government has provided 1.65 lakh jobs to youths without corruption or litigation, calling it an example of transparent governance. Shah also said the participation of around 1.25 lakh youths at the event reflected strong support for the BJP and expressed confidence that the party would return to power in Assam with its largest-ever majority in the upcoming Assembly elections.
-IANS
