NE joined mainstream after BJP came to power: Amit Shah

Guwahati: Taking a jibe at the Congress, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that earlier Assam was only known for bandhs, protests and insurgency under the Congress regime.

"Congress gave this region only tension with the rest of India. When BJP came to power at Centre in 2014, Assam along with the entire northeast started to walk on the path of peace and development," Shah said while inaugurating a six-storey building of a new headquarters for the state unit of Assam BJP in Guwahati.

The Union Home Minister further said that since the Independence of the country, northeast India was pushed to violence and anarchy by the Congress governments. The region could join the mainstream of development only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took several steps to uplift this region.

"Almost 9,000 militants laid down their arms in last eight years which brought peace to the Assam and northeast," he added.

Shah also claimed that the Centre has increased the budget allotment to bring infrastructural development to the NE states.

Earlier, Amit Shah along with BJP president J.P. Nadda inaugurated Assam BJP's new headquarters in Guwahati. The six-storey building was named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Foundation stones for nine district party offices and 102 BJP regional offices in Assam were laid down virtually by Nadda and Shah respectively.

Shah said that the BJP offices reflect the emotion, commitment and dedication of all party workers.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam BJP president Bhabesh Kalita, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, and other party leaders were also present on the occasion.