With electioneering reaching a crescendo in the country as well as in Assam for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state to be held in three phases from April 11 next, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sounded the poll bugle from Moran.
Seeking people’s blessings and thanking them for their support in the last five years, Modi began his speech by mentioning about the soul of Assam – Bhupen Hazarika – who was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously. He also mentioned about the Sukapha and the Chutia kings of Assam.
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Talking about the populist scheme of his government, Modi said, “In the last five years, I have tried my best to bring meaning into the lives of the marginalised segment of people in Assam (read and also in the country).”
Highlighting the welfare schemes of the poor, the PM stated that after 70 years of Independence, electricity had reached only 40 per cent of households in Assam, but under the NDA government, almost all houses have got electrified in the state.
Amidst huge applause, he stated, “Since I was a chaiwallah, only this tea vendor can best understand the problems of the tea garden labourers of Assam.”
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Since places like Moran and Dibrugarh is dotted with tea gardens, the saffron party leader made the statement with an eye on the tea vote bank.
Talking about the various welfare schemes for the poor, Modi said that his government has made it possible for the poor to get access to free cooking gas.
“We are depositing Rs 5,000 twice a year in the accounts of tea garden labourers and we are considering to give free rice and sugar to the Adivasi community.”
Modi also talked about Mudra loan for the unemployed youths and the free health schemes of his government for the less fortunate section of the society.
Talking about communication bottlenecks in the industrial town of Dibrugarh, he said the previous Congress government never took any initiative to complete the Bogibeel bridge or the Dhola-Sadiya bridge – “After my government came into power, the Bogibeel and Dhola-Sadiya bridge work which was hanging fire was open to public and we have also started the Moran-New Delhi Rajdhani Express.”
He lamented that cooking gas facilities were not available to the poor people of Assam when the Congress was in power – a state where oil and gas are being produced.
Talking about the Balakot surgical strikes over the Pulwama terror attack, the Prime Minister said that while the world stood up for India in its bid to tame Pakistan, the Congress was “very upset”.
He remarked that the Congress is also not happy about India making huge space strides and becoming a space power.
Modi asked the voters whether they would like to vote for a ‘decisive government or a tainted government’?
Earlier, the excitement was palpable among the huge crowd and BJP workers in Moran as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the crowd.
Amidst chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Narendra Modi Zindabad’, Modi addressed the crowd in Assamese to loud applause and wished the people of Assam in advance for Rongali Bihu.