By Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a sharp political offensive against the Congress at a rally in Guwahati, accusing the party of historically neglecting the Northeast and compromising national security for political convenience. Addressing BJP workers in Assam’s largest city, Modi framed the region not as India’s periphery but as a strategic frontier whose development, he said, had been ignored for decades.
With Assam heading toward a politically significant electoral cycle, the Prime Minister’s speech blended security rhetoric with development claims, positioning the BJP as the party that “integrated and secured” the Northeast after years of instability. He alleged that earlier Congress governments failed to prioritise defence preparedness and allowed corruption to undermine military procurement.
“During Congress rule, defence purchases were marked by corruption worth thousands of crores,” Modi told party workers. He contrasted that period with what he described as the current government’s efforts to modernise the armed forces and strengthen border infrastructure. Referring to new highways, tunnels, bridges and airfields near sensitive frontier areas, he argued that India’s strategic posture had fundamentally shifted in the past decade.
The Prime Minister cited India’s military response to terrorism, including Operation Sindoor following the Pulwama attack, as evidence of a more assertive security doctrine. He claimed the country had demonstrated its resolve to retaliate decisively against threats, adding that such responses had enhanced India’s global standing.
Turning his focus to domestic politics, Modi accused the Congress of indulging in divisive strategies and vote-bank politics. He alleged that elements within the party sympathised with groups seeking to fragment national unity. In a pointed remark, he described the Congress as aligning with forces that, in his words, weaken the country’s integrity.
Illegal migration also featured prominently in his address. Modi said unchecked infiltration had long posed demographic and security challenges in Assam and reiterated the BJP’s commitment to curbing illegal immigration. “The coming five years are crucial,” he told booth-level workers, urging them to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of upcoming electoral contests.
The Prime Minister also emphasised development metrics to support his argument that the Northeast had witnessed unprecedented attention under his government. He stated that Assam’s budgetary allocation from the Centre had increased five-fold compared to pre-2014 levels. Over the last 11 years, he said, ₹5.5 lakh crore had been provided to the state for infrastructure, connectivity and employment-linked initiatives.
Political observers view the Guwahati rally as a calibrated message to both core supporters and undecided voters — blending national security themes with economic progress narratives. By directly attacking the Congress’s historical record while highlighting investment figures, Modi sought to reinforce the BJP’s dual pitch of stability and growth.
As the campaign atmosphere intensifies in Assam, Saturday’s speech made clear that security, migration and development will remain central planks of the BJP’s strategy in the Northeast.
