On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, where he unveiled development projects worth over Rs 5,100 crore. Modi accused the Congress party of having an “inherent habit” of abandoning difficult development tasks, which he claimed has a detrimental impact on the Northeast region.
Modi stressed, “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 has caused significant harm to Arunachal Pradesh and the entire Northeast.” He illustrated his point by noting that in challenging terrains like hilly and forested areas, the Congress had consistently neglected development, labelling these regions as backward and turning a blind eye to their potential.
During his speech, Prime Minister Modi noted that true transformation in the Northeast cannot happen from Delhi alone. He explained that he has made numerous visits to the region, exceeding 70 times, and has encouraged ministers and officers to interact directly with local concerns.
In conjunction with these development projects, Modi also highlighted recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms that commenced on the first day of Navratri. He termed this initiative a “double bonanza” for people this festive season, promising a reduction in household expenses and improving the economic situation for families, especially women.
Modi stated, “Today, next-generation GST reforms have been implemented across the country, and the GST ‘Bachat Utsav’ has begun,” emphasizing the reduced burden on household budgets. He contrasted his administration’s approach with the previous Congress government’s heavy taxation that he claimed increased living costs.
“Congress imposed a heavy tax burden on the people, but our government has gradually reduced taxes, giving relief,” he added, reinforcing the importance of economic reform in boosting public welfare.
Critically, Modi referred to the neglect of border villages under previous Congress administrations, suggesting this negligence contributed to migration issues in those areas. He implied the Congress party’s lack of focus stemmed from Arunachal Pradesh’s limited representation in the Lok Sabha, with only two 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’,” Modi declared. He reinforced a commitment to the principle of ‘Nagrik Devo Bhava’ (the citizen is God), which he believes should lead policy decisions.
The Prime Minister reiterated his dedication to making Arunachal Pradesh a development priority, contrasting past neglect with his administration’s emphasis on progress. “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 center of developmental priority,” he affirmed.
Highlighting specific contributions, Modi declared that over the last decade, Arunachal Pradesh received Rs 1 lakh crore from the central government, which he claims is 16 times more than during the Congress rule.
“The projects I unveiled today exemplify the ‘double benefits’ of our ‘double-engine’ government, demonstrating our commitment to holistic development in the Northeast,” he concluded. (Agencies)
