Assam polls: Shah slams Congress, vows to deport all infiltrators

Ahead of Assam polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Congress of changing state demographics for vote-bank politics. He promised that a third-term BJP govt would identify and deport every infiltrator within the next five years.

Ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of altering the state's demographics for vote-bank politics, while asserting that a BJP government would identify and deport "every infiltrator" within the next five years.

Addressing a public rally in Nalbari, Shah said, "Driven by the greed for vote banks, the Congress party changed the entire demographics of Assam. Dhubri and its nine surrounding districts are now teeming with infiltrators." He further alleged that previous Congress governments had allowed illegal infiltration for decades.

BJP's 5-Year Roadmap Against Infiltration

"The Congress government had kept the doors open for infiltrators inside Assam for years. Our Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has shut the borders... and reclaimed 1.25 lakh acres of land that had been occupied by infiltrators," Shah said.

Making a strong electoral pitch, the Union Minister outlined a firm roadmap against infiltration. "Today, I have come to Nalbari to say: form a 'Lotus flower' government for the third time. In the next five years, we will identify and deport every single infiltrator," he asserted.

Reiterating the BJP's stance, Shah added, "Every single infiltrator--we will detect them, we will find them, we will delete them from the voter lists and deport them back to where they came from."

Restoring Peace in Assam

The Home Minister also credited the BJP-led governments under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for restoring peace in Assam. "Within 10 years... we signed the Bodo Peace Accord, Karbi Anglong Accord, DNLA Accord, and an accord with ULFA. 10,000 people have today given up arms," he said, contrasting it with what he described as a history of unrest during Congress rule.

Shah further claimed that incidents of violence and bomb blasts have ceased under BJP governance, asserting that the state has witnessed stability over the past decade.

Cultural Identity and UCC on Agenda

Linking governance with cultural identity, Shah asserted, "This land, soil and culture belong to us. No infiltrator has any right over it." He also announced that the BJP government plans to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Assam, stating it would ensure equality and curb practices like multiple marriages.

High-Stakes Electoral Battle

Shah's remarks came as Assam gears up for a single-phase polling across all 126 Assembly constituencies on April 9. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, according to the Election Commission of India.

Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly. The BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will look to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to defeat the ruling party to return to power.

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