Sarbananda Sonowal accuses Congress of stalling Assam’s growth, bats for BJP’s development record

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday, April 4 criticised the Congress, alleging that its prolonged rule in Assam impeded the state’s development, while asserting that the BJP-led government has driven substantial progress over the past decade.

Addressing a public gathering, Sonowal said the Congress, which governed Assam for over five decades, failed to prioritise the state’s growth, resulting in persistent underdevelopment. In contrast, he stated, the BJP government has initiated wide-ranging development projects in the last ten years, leading to visible improvements across sectors.

The Union Minister also accused the Congress of facilitating the settlement of “illegal Bangladeshis” in Assam by allocating land in various districts during its tenure. He said the current government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has taken corrective steps to safeguard the rights of indigenous communities.

Highlighting the state government’s eviction drives, Sonowal said around 1.5 lakh bighas of land had been cleared to protect what he described as “ancestral land” belonging to indigenous people. He added that these measures were aimed at ensuring constitutional safeguards and preserving the demographic and cultural integrity of the state