'Congress ignored Arunachal for two Lok Sabha seats': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 22 accused the Congress of sidelining the Northeast, saying the party dismissed Arunachal Pradesh because it accounts for only two Lok Sabha seats.

Speaking at a rally in Itanagar after launching development projects worth over Rs 5,100 crore, he said the region was ignored for decades despite its strategic and cultural importance.

“Congress thought that Arunachal has so few people, there are only two Lok Sabha seats, so what attention will they give?” Modi remarked, arguing that successive governments in Delhi prioritised electoral calculations over development. 

He said his government had reversed that mindset by increasing budgetary allocations, improving last-mile connectivity, and ensuring ministers and officials frequently visit the region.

The Prime Minister also hit out at Congress for what he described as corruption and excessive taxation. He recalled how even modest earnings were heavily taxed in the past, while daily essentials attracted more than 30 per cent tax. 

Modi said the new GST framework, with simplified slabs, reflects his promise of easing financial pressure on citizens and boosting small businesses.

During his visit, Modi laid the foundation for two major hydropower projects in the Siyom sub-basin — the 240 MW Heo and 186 MW Tato-I — worth over Rs 3,700 crore. He also announced a state-of-the-art convention centre in Tawang, located at 9,820 feet, capable of hosting international conferences and cultural festivals for up to 1,500 delegates.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, present at the event, called the day a milestone for Arunachal Pradesh. He noted how the state, once cut off due to poor roads, no airport, and no railway, now has modern connectivity and the highest length of national highways in the Northeast.

Later in the day, the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Tripura to inaugurate development work at the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple Complex in Matabari.