BJP only party to give respect to icons of Assam: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that the BJP is the only party that has given due respect and recognition to the heroes of Assam. Addressing a public meeting at Gohpur in Assam's Biswanath district, the senior BJP leader claimed that the people of the state were neglected by politicians in Delhi prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in 2014.

"When ministers from Assam used to go to Delhi, nobody would talk to them properly. They were ignored and the people of Assam were neglected. This changed after our government came to power at the Centre as well as state," Singh said.

Modi has ensured that one central leader would visit Assam and Northeast every month to listen to the problems of this region, he added.


"The people of the Northeast are courageous and they can take risks. Assam has given birth to a hero like Ahom general Lachit Borphukan. For the country, he even killed his own uncle," the defence minister said.

The National Defence Academy in Pune has the best cadet award in Lachit Borphukan's name, he said.

"Freedom fighter Kanaklata, who sacrificed her life fighting for the Independence of the country, has a Coast Guard ship in her name. We cannot ignore the great contributions of Srimanta Sankardeva in the formation of the Assamese society," Singh said.

He also asserted that it was the Modi government, which ensured the coveted Bharat Ratna to music legend Bhupen Hazarika, while all other earlier governments ignored him.

Appealing to the people to vote for the BJP, Singh said the pace of development will be increased manifold if the BJP returns to power in Assam.

Gohpur will go to the polls in the first phase on March 27.

The BJP has given nomination to its sitting MLA Utpal Borah, who will have a direct contest with Rajya Sabha MP and state Congress president Ripun Bora in Gohpur.