Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp political attack on the Congress party during a public rally in Guwahati on Saturday. He accused the grand old party of committing a grave historical "sin" by allegedly conspiring with the Muslim League and the British before Independence to make Assam a part of what would later become East Pakistan.
Historical Allegations and a Call for Vigilance
Addressing a large crowd after inaugurating India's first nature-themed airport, named after Congress leader and Assam's first post-Independence Chief Minister Gopinath Bardoloi, Modi delved into history. He claimed the roots of Congress's "sin" were connected to the pre-Independence era, when plans for India's partition were being formulated. "At the time when the Muslim League and British rule were together preparing the ground for India’s partition, a plan was made to make Assam also a part of undivided Bengal or East Pakistan. Congress was going to become part of the conspiracy," the Prime Minister asserted.
Modi's remarks gain contemporary relevance against the backdrop of recent violent protests and political instability in Bangladesh. This unrest, triggered by the assassination of a youth leader, has included anti-India demonstrations and raised fears of fresh migration. Analysts note that Modi's invocation of East Pakistan directly links this historical narrative to present-day anxieties about cross-border infiltration and demographic change in Assam, especially with several groups in Bangladesh campaigning for a "Greater Bangladesh" that includes parts of India's Northeast.
Bardoloi Praised, Congress Condemned
In a pointed contrast, PM Modi praised Gopinath Bardoloi, a Congress leader, as Assam's saviour for standing against his own party's alleged conspiracy. "Then Bardoloi stood up against his own party. He opposed this conspiracy to destroy Assam’s identity and saved Assam from being separated from the country," Modi said, after unveiling an 80-foot statue of the late leader.
However, Modi charged that after Independence, Congress resumed what he called "anti-Assam and anti-national work." He accused the party of altering the region's demography for electoral gains. "To increase its vote bank, Congress gave free rein to infiltrators... The demography here has changed. These infiltrators have encroached upon our forests and our land," he alleged, stating that this has put Assam's security and identity at stake.
Linking Past to Present Political Battles
The Prime Minister commended the current BJP government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for working to free Assam's land from illegal encroachment. He asserted that the central government has taken strict steps to curb infiltration, including identification processes. He sharply criticized the Congress and the opposition INDI alliance for what he termed an "anti-national agenda" of defending infiltrators, even claiming their lawyers advocate for them in courts.
Modi connected the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls to this issue, suggesting it ensures fair elections but is being opposed by Congress. "Their anti-national mentality can create violence of the old era," he warned the crowd. Appealing for unity, Modi said, "We have to protect Assam for whose integrity people like Bardoloi sacrificed everything... We have to keep defeating Congress’s conspiracies at every moment, at every step."
With Assam and West Bengal scheduled to vote together early next year, Modi's speech in Guwahati masterfully wove together historical references, identity politics, and current geopolitical concerns. It positioned the BJP not only as a party of infrastructure development but also as the sole defender of Assam's territorial and cultural integrity against what he portrayed as a perpetual threat from the Congress.
