Assam will not bow to ‘Pakistani agents’: Himanta Biswa Sarma targets Gaurav Gogoi

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on January 18, launched a sharp political attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, asserting that Assam would not bow to what he described as “Pakistani agents,” while addressing a public gathering during the inauguration of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project in Nagaon district.
Speaking in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sarma said the state has undergone a significant transformation and that the people of Assam would no longer surrender to “unknown people.” His remarks came a day after Gaurav Gogoi reportedly opposed the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project.
“Assam has changed. No Assamese will surrender before any Pakistani agent or unknown people. This is a new Assam,” the Chief Minister said, while also thanking the Prime Minister for flagging off three new trains to the state within two days.
Highlighting cultural pride, Sarma said that around 10,000 artists performed the traditional Bagurumba dance in the presence of the Prime Minister, reflecting Assam’s renewed self-respect and cultural confidence. He further claimed that incidents of rhino poaching in Kaziranga have come to an end, attributing the achievement to strengthened conservation measures.
The Chief Minister said the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, being constructed at a cost of around Rs 7,000 crore, would reduce travel time by nearly an hour once completed, while also ensuring the safe movement of wildlife.
Expressing confidence ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, Sarma said several major infrastructure projects, once considered unlikely, have now become a reality. These include multiple bridges over the Brahmaputra, an underwater tunnel, and the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor. He asserted that the BJP would return to power in Assam in 2026, calling it a “gift” to Prime Minister Modi.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project, which involves the four-laning of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of National Highway-715 in Kaliabor, Nagaon district. The project, valued at over Rs 6,950 crore, aims to improve connectivity while safeguarding Kaziranga National Park’s biodiversity.
The Prime Minister also flagged off two Amrit Bharat Express trains, Guwahati (Kamakhya)–Rohtak and Dibrugarh–Lucknow (Gomti Nagar).
The 86-km-long Kaziranga Elevated Corridor is an environmentally conscious highway project featuring a 35-km elevated wildlife corridor through Kaziranga National Park, a 21-km bypass section, and the widening of 30 km of NH-715 from two to four lanes. The corridor will pass through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, and Golaghat districts, improving connectivity to Upper Assam, including Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.
Officials said the elevated corridor would ensure uninterrupted wildlife movement, reduce human-animal conflict, enhance road safety, and support growing passenger and freight traffic in the region.