A Correspondent
Amit Shah promises flood-free Assam
NAGAON, Feb 25: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today ceremonially started the construction work of the Rs 188-crore Sankaradeva cultural complex at Batadrava, the birthplace of the great Assamese Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankaradeva, with traditional rituals.
Addressing a huge public rally at the site of the proposed project, Shah said Srimanta Sankaradeva was a versatile genius who tied traditions, art, culture and literature of the entire region with the Indian mainstream. “With a greater sense of Indian nationalism, Srimanta Sankaradeva also tried to bring all communities of the region under a single umbrella of Vaishnavite traditions more than 500 years ago,” he added.
Referring to the State government’s recent initiative of offering ex gratia of Rs 2.5 lakh each to around 8,000 namghars for renovations work, Shah urged the authorities to increase the number of beneficiary namghars to 25,000 in the days to come.
Criticizing the earlier Congress governments in the State, Shah said the party ruled for 15 years but did little for development of the birthplace of the great Assamese saint as well as the Batadrava Than.
“But within the first five years of its tenure in the State, the BJP-led alliance government has come forward for all-round development of the Batadrava Than, the proposed Sankaradeva cultural complex being the highlight of this bold endeavour,” he said.
In his speech, Shah also assured the people that if the BJP-led alliance is voted to power again in the coming assembly polls, “Assam will definitely be a flood-free state in the next five years”. Moreover, other burning issues of the State will also be solved during the next term, he added.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also spoke on the occasion and elaborated on various developmental schemes and projects being initiated and implemented in the State by the alliance government.
State ministers Keshab Mahanta, Atul Bora, Pijush Hazarika, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, former Union minister Rajen Gohain, MLAs Angoorlata Deka, Rupak Sarma, Dimbeswar Das, Ramakanta Deori were present in the rally.
Earlier, Shah visited the newly constructed Shivalinga-shaped Maha Mritunjay Mandir, claimed to be the largest Shiva temple in Asia, at Bherbheri near Barhampur in Nagaon district to offer prayers to Lord Shiva.
Diphu Correspondent adds: Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing a mammoth gathering at Dengaon, 124 km from Diphu, said that “dreams and aspirations of the people of Karbi Anglong will be fulfilled by the government within a year as a good number of youths of the hill district have left the path of militancy to return to mainstream, thus ushering in peace in the land.”
Alongside Shah, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sum Ronghang, State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council CEM Tuliram Ronghang and Dima Hasao Autonomous Council CEM D Garlosa shared the dais.
