Congress abandoned difficult development work, harming Northeast: PM in Arunachal

Itanagar, Sept 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, alleged that the Congress has an "inherent habit" of abandoning any development work that is difficult, and this caused significant harm to the Northeast.

Addressing a rally at the Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar after unveiling development projects worth over Rs 5,100 crore, Modi said he knew that the Northeast couldn't be developed from Delhi, and so, he sent ministers and officers more frequently to the region, and he himself came here more than 70 times.

"One inherent habit of Congress is that they never take up development work which is difficult to do; they abandon it. This habit of Congress caused significant harm to Arunachal Pradesh and the entire Northeast. In the hilly and forested areas, where development work was challenging, Congress would declare the regions backward and simply forget them," he claimed.

The Prime Minister said that with the launch of GST reforms on the first day of Navratri, people will receive a "double bonanza" this festive season.

"Today, next-generation GST reforms have been implemented across the country, and the GST 'Bachat Utsav' has begun. During the season of festivals, the people have received a double bonanza," he said.

Modi said the previous Congress government kept on increasing taxes even as everything got expensive.

"Congress imposed a heavy tax burden on the people, but our government has gradually reduced taxes, giving relief," he said.

Modi alleged the border villages were neglected by successive Congress governments, leading to the migration of people from these areas.

He claimed that the Congress also overlooked Arunachal Pradesh, as it has only two Lok Sabha seats.

"When I was given the opportunity to serve the nation in 2014, I resolved to free the country from the mindset of Congress. Our guiding principle is not the number of votes or seats in any state, but 'nation first'. Our only mantra is 'Nagrik Devo Bhava' (the citizen is God)," he said.

"Modi worships those whom no one has ever asked about. That is why Arunachal Pradesh, which was neglected during Congress rule, has since 2014 become a centre of developmental priority," he added.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh as a "sacred and historic day" for the frontier state and the country.

Addressing the rally, Rijiju said the state was proud to host the Prime Minister on the auspicious occasion of Navratri, and to be the state from where the next-generation GST reforms were launched.

"Today is a holy day for Arunachal Pradesh and for the nation. The PM has chosen our state, the land where the first rays of the sun touch the country, to roll out the historic GST reforms that will benefit crores of poor people across the country," the Union Parliamentary and Minority Affairs minister said.

He recalled the difficult days more than a decade ago, when Arunachal lacked basic connectivity.

"Fourteen to 15 years ago, we had no airport, no railway line, no proper highways and even mobile services were absent in many villages. Reaching from one district to another often took weeks, especially during monsoons. Those hardships are still fresh in our memory," he said.

Rijiju, who represents Arunachal West Parliamentary constituency, highlighted the transformation brought about in recent years under Modi's leadership.

"Today, Arunachal Pradesh has its own airport connecting us directly to Delhi, Kolkata, and Guwahati. We have a railway line, national highways, tunnels, and better roads. From any corner of Arunachal, people can reach Itanagar in a single day," he said, adding that the state now has the highest length of national highways in the Northeast.

The minister said Modi's frequent visits to Arunachal had accelerated the state's development and boosted people's morale.

"No PM in history has visited Arunachal so many times. Each time, he brings new gifts of development. Today also, several important projects are being inaugurated or their foundation stones laid," Rijiju said.

PTI