PM Modi’s Assam Address: Development, Political Criticism, and Religious Allusions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his Assam visit, announced development projects totaling Rs 6,500 crore and addressed a public gathering in Darrang. He launched an attack against the Congress party, famously saying, “I am a devotee of Lord Shiva and swallow all poison.” Modi referenced his first Assam visit following ‘Operation Sindoor’ and connected its success to the blessings of Maa Kamakhya. He spoke about the recent commemoration of Bharat Ratna recipient Sudhakanta Bhupen Hazarika and the government’s commitment to realizing the vision of Assam’s ancestors. He cited a statement from the Congress party president regarding the Bharat Ratna conferred upon Hazarika. Modi affirmed, “I am a devotee of Lord Shiva, and I swallow all the poison.” He referred to the 1962 war with China, and how the Northeast people were hurt by Pandit Nehru’s words, the wounds from which persist, and the current generation of the Congress are still adding insult to injury. He further stated that, while he usually ignores the criticism hurled at him because he is a devotee of Lord Shiva, he cannot accept the shameless insult of others. Modi emphasized that the public constitutes his god. He concluded by saying, “This is the time for the North East,” emphasizing the region’s contribution to a developed India.