Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress party of having an “inherent habit” of abandoning challenging development projects during a recent rally in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. Modi unveiled development initiatives worth over Rs 5,100 crore, emphasizing that the historical neglect of the northeastern region must end.
During his address at the Indira Gandhi Park, Modi highlighted the need for continuous engagement with the Northeast. He expressed that development cannot be dictated from Delhi and noted his frequent visits—over 70 times—to the area as evidence of his commitment.
“One inherent habit of Congress is that they never engage in development work which is difficult to do; they abandon it,” stated Modi. He claimed this habit has led to significant harm for both Arunachal Pradesh and the larger Northeast region.
He pointed to the region’s geographical challenges, stating that previous governments would label such areas as backward and neglect them entirely. According to Modi, this has perpetuated a cycle of underdevelopment.
Highlighting recent reforms, Modi announced that the launch of GST improvements coinciding with the start of Navratri brings a “double bonanza” for citizens. He assured that these next-generation GST improvements would alleviate the kitchen budgets of families, particularly benefiting women.
“Today, we initiate GST ‘Bachat Utsav’, where reducing taxes translates directly into savings for households,” he said, contrasting his administration’s tax policies with those of the Congress. Modi alleged that the previous government continually raised taxes during economic hardships.
He further criticized Congress for its failure to prioritize border villages, which has led to an exodus from these regions. Modi claimed that areas such as Arunachal Pradesh received insufficient attention due to their limited representation in Lok Sabha.
“When I took office in 2014, I pledged to liberate the country from the Congress mindset,” said Modi. He reaffirmed that his administration’s guiding principle prioritizes the nation over political gain, asserting, “Our mantra is ‘Nagrik Devo Bhava’ (the citizen is God).”
The Prime Minister asserted that Arunachal Pradesh—once overlooked—is now a focal point for developmental initiatives under the current government. He underscored that the Rs 1 lakh crore in financial aid from the center over the past decade is 16 times what the region received during Congress governance.
Modi concluded by calling the projects unveiled as an example of the “double benefits” produced by the BJP’s “double-engine” governance model, reinforcing his commitment to bolstering the development of Northeast India.
