BJP dividing Assam society, says Sonia

‘Gogoi and his Ministers brought peace and development to strife-torn Assam’.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making grandiose statements during his visits abroad while “spreading hatred” at home.

“When he goes abroad he embraces all and talks big about the nation, but on returning he is engaged in spreading hatred,” Ms. Gandhi said at an election meeting in Lower Assam’s Sarukhetry in Barpeta district.

“The danger of communalism is looming large over Assam as the BJP is spreading communalism and dividing society, which has thrived for ages on the principles of love, peace and harmony,” Ms. Gandhi said.

“Assam is a shining example of harmony with its people following the teachings of Sankardeva and Azaan Fakir. Modi

ji and his Ministers are moving across the State making false promises and creating divide among the people,” she said.

“BJP’s communal politics is controlled from Nagpur [RSS headquarters] and this is a grave danger to democracy,” she said.

The development plan of the Congress had always included people of all religions, castes and creeds and they had taken all parties along. “Congress does the work of uniting while the BJP of breaking,” she said.

Ms. Gandhi alleged that the BJP had no regard for the Constitution or democracy as was evident from “their plan to destabilise the Congress government of Assam and removal democratically elected governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.”

“The Prime Minister is keen on stifling our voice,” she said. “They have forgotten our “Ganga-Jamuna parampara ” and made a mockery of our traditions,” she said. “They have only one agenda — to fool and divide the country by giving false promises and coining new slogans and advertisements.”

‘Congress brought peace’ Fifteen years ago, Assam was faced with insecurity, instability and violence and it was Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his Ministers who toiled hard to bring peace, development and progress.

Educational institutions for youths, employment to lakhs of people under the MGNREGS, reservation for women in government jobs, schemes for development of the girl child, improvement in the health sector are some of major initiatives taken by the Assam government under the Congress.

“It is the chief minister and the Congress members who have brought ‘ parivartan ’ (change) in Assam. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s dedication and keen interest also ensured the development of the State.” She also paid tributes to former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, who hailed from Barpeta, and other freedom fighters of the district.