Ram Madhav blames Cong for infiltration in Assam

BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav on Friday accused the opposition Congress for encouraging infiltration in Assam and even backing out from updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

He also accused former Congress chief minister Tarun Gogoi of backing out in 2010 after protests during the initial preparation and "ran away" from the updation of the NRC.

"Who allowed infiltration from Pakistan ? It was the Congress government at the Centre in 1967 who repealed the Prevention of Infiltration from Pakistan Act and opened doors for infiltrators from the then East Pakistan to come into Assam and Northeast," alleged Madhav while addressing a press conference here at the BJP Assam unit headquarters.

It is Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of BJP who took up the NRC process again under the guidance of the Supreme Court, Madhav, who is the party's in-charge for the north east, said.

Hitting out at the Congress, the BJP leader said "They are friends of infiltrators and tell us how to deal with them. They are a part of the infiltrators. They are the real enemies of the interests of Assam and the Northeast.

"People know the real agenda of the Congress and will give a fitting reply in the election. We are committed to protecting the identity, language, culture, heritage of the indigenous people of Assam", he said.

To a query on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill, Madhav asserted "No bill will be brought by the Modi government that causes any damage to the people of Assam and Northeast".

Confident of the BJP winning all the states it has contested on in the state, Madhav said that based on ground reports We are very confident of winning all the nine seats that have already gone to polls and in which we contested.

The party is working very hard to get the mandate in favour of the BJP, which is contesting one seats in the last phase on April 23, he added.