Assam

Congress handed over Assam's land to infiltrators for votes: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of handing over Assam's land to infiltrators for votes during its rule in the northeastern state. Modi, while addressing a rally here, alleged that infiltration kept increasing during the Congress rule in Assam for decades, with illegal immigrants encroaching upon forests, animal corridors and traditional institutions. 'The BJP government is protecting Assam's identity and culture by evicting infiltrators who encroached land,' he said. Modi said the Congress has lost the trust of people as it gives a 'message of negative politics', and now, the BJP is the 'first choice of voters in the country. 'Voters trust BJP for good governance and development. In the Bihar polls, people gave the party record votes and seats even after 20 years in power, he said. In the Maharashtra civic polls, too, people voted for the BJP and even in Kerala, 'we now have a mayor from the party', Modi said.

PM lays foundation for Kaziranga corridor, flags off new trains in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday lay the foundation stone for the Kaziranga elevated corridor, flag off two Amrit Bharat Express trains and address a public rally during the second day of his Assam visit. Modi said he was looking forward to the Bhoomi Poojan' of key development projects at Kaliabor in Nagaon district. 'Looking forward to being in Kaliabor, Assam today for the Bhoomi Poojan of key development works, including the 35 km elevated corridor across Kaziranga. This will go a long way in safeguarding animals, particularly in the monsoon season,' the PM said in a post on X. During the programme, Amrit Bharat trains will be flagged off, which will improve connectivity for the people of Assam, he said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, replying to Modi's post, said the elevated corridor across Kaziranga is a landmark step towards protecting wildlife, while strengthening connectivity. The Bhoomi Poojan and flagging off of Amrit Bharat trains will further accelera

PM to visit Assam from Jan 17, unveil Amrit Bharat trains, launch projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Assam from Saturday for two days, during which he is scheduled to flag off two Amrit Bharat trains and lay the foundation stone for the Kaziranga elevated corridor, an official said. Modi's visit to the northeastern state, where assembly elections are due in the first half of 2026, will be his second tour in less than a month. Soon after his arrival here on the evening of January 17, the PM is set to witness the Bodo folk dance 'Bagurumba' by 10,000 performers at the Arjun Bhogeswar Barua Sports stadium in the city, the official said on Friday. Modi will leave for Kaliabor the next day to lay the foundation stone for the Rs 6,957 crore Kaziranga elevated corridor, he said. The prime minister is expected to flag off virtually two Amrit Bharat Express trains, Dibrugarh-Gomti Nagar (Lucknow) and Kamakhya-Rohtak, and address a public meeting at Kaliabor, he said. Modi had come to Assam on a two-day visit from December 20 to inaugurate the

BJP turns to women for victory in Assam amid rising female turnout

With women voting in record numbers, the BJP is banking on welfare schemes like Orunodoi and MMUA to consolidate female support ahead of Assam's Assembly elections

Assam economy: Gains and gaps amid growth, debt, welfare challenges

Assam has emerged as India's fastest-growing state economy over five years, but a low base, fiscal pressures and social challenges temper the headline growth story

Assam Cong sets up legal panel to track investigation in Zubeen Garg case

The Assam Congress on Saturday announced that it has constituted a committee of advocates to closely monitor the investigation and the judicial proceedings into the death case of singer Zubeen Garg. The opposition party made the decision, which was taken on Thursday, public a day after the state Cabinet approved a five-member team of special public prosecutors (PPs). "Hon'ble President, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Shri Gaurav Gogoi has constituted a committee comprising the following senior Advocates to closely monitor the progress of the investigation and judicial proceedings in the death case of Late Zubeen Garg," the party's general secretary (organisation) Bipul Gogoi said in a statement. The members of the committee are Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, Ram Prasad Sarmah, Dilip Choudhury, Hamidur Rahman, Hemanta Kalita and Rubi Gogoi. The state government has named Brojendra Mohan Chaudhuri as additional public prosecutor, and Kishor Dutta, Pranjal Dutta and Vikash Jam

Congress to launch 'Save MGNREGA Movement' in Assam from Saturday

The Congress will launch its Save MGNREGA Movement' in Assam on Saturday as part of a nationwide agitation against the VB-G RAM G Act, the new rural employment scheme, a party leader said. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Assam Manoj Chauhan said the party will continue its agitation until the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission Gramin Act (VBG RAM G), which has replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), is withdrawn. "The new Act has effectively removed the guaranteed employment that workers earlier enjoyed under MGNREGA and is an attempt to snatch away several constitutional rights. In this context, the Congress has intensified its agitation against the move across the country," Chauhan said here on Thursday. As part of the nationwide protest, the Save MGNREGA Movement' will be launched in Assam from January 10 with press conferences at district headquarters, he said. "District Congress ...

Tea companies seek talks with Assam govt over land rights to workers

Tea companies have urged the Assam government to address financial and legal implications for estate owners for the implementation of the amended Land Ceiling Act, under which land rights will be granted to workers to build houses within the garden areas, planters said. The tea garden owners welcomed the government initiative but sought discussion to "iron out difficulties that may arise in granting land ownership to labourers within estates", an industry source told PTI. The garden owners are not opposed to transferring the labour quarters' land to the workers, but the apprehensions and legal challenges have to be addressed, he said. "The government should discuss the issues that have been brought to the fore by tea companies for implementing the new law. That is our only request," the planter said. The Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA), an umbrella body of tea producers' organisations, has already written to the state government over the challenges in ...

Earthquake of magnitude 5.1 shakes Assam's Morigaon; no casualty reported

An earthquake of 5.1 magnitude jolted the central part of Assam on Monday morning, an official bulletin said. There is no immediate report of any injury to anyone or damage to any property, officials said. A National Centre for Seismology report said the quake was recorded at 4.17 am in Morigaon district on the southern bank of Brahmaputra, at a depth of 50 km. The epicentre of the earthquake was located at a latitude 26.37 N and longitude of 92.29 E in central Assam, it added. People in the neighbouring Kamrup Metropolitan, Nagaon, East Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Hojai, Dima Hasao, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar and Goalpara districts also felt the jolt. Darrang, Tamulpur, Sonitpur, Kamrup, Biswanath, Udalguri, Nalbari, Bajali, Barpeta, Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Lakhimpur on the northern bank of Brahmaputra too felt the tremor. The earthquake could be felt in some areas of central-wes

Over 1,700 acres of forest land in Assam cleared of encroachments: Himanta

Over 1,700 acres of reserve forest land in Assam's Hojai district have been cleared of encroachments, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. He asserted that no encroachment will be tolerated. "GAME OVER for illegal encroachment at Jamuna-Moudanga RF. Mission completed as 5,250 bighas reclaimed through peaceful, lawful & decisive action," Sarma said in a post on X on Saturday, referring to an eviction drive on 1,732.5 acres in the area. "No cheat codes needed. Consider this your warning: Illegal encroachment will NOT be tolerated," Sarma asserted. Since the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government came to power in 2021, it has carried out a series of evictions to clear land from alleged encroachments, mostly affecting the Bengali-speaking Muslim population. Sarma had said during his press interaction on New Year's Day that so far, eviction drives have been carried out to clear 1,45,000 bighas (47,850 acres) of land. On November 3 last year, the chief minister asserted that eviction .

Zubeen Garg death case: Four accused file bail pleas, hearing on Jan 17

Four accused in singer Zubeen Garg's death case filed bail petitions before the court on Saturday. The Kamrup (Metro) District and Sessions Court, which is hearing the case, fixed January 17 as the next date of hearing when the bail objection by the public prosecutor will be filed. The bail pleas were moved by Garg's band member Amritprava Mahanta, his cousin Sandipan Garg, a police officer, and his two personal security officers (PSOs), Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya. The singer-composer-actor had died on September 19 while swimming in the sea in Singapore, where he had gone to attend the Northeast Festival. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CID, which is probing the case, has charged festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's secretary Siddhartha Sharma and his two band members, Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava, with murder, and his cousin, who was accompanying him, with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The two PSOs were charged with criminal ...

Assam polls will be people vs 'raja': Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi alleged that the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government was running an authoritarian regime and claimed that the upcoming assembly elections in the state would be a battle between the people and the 'raja' (ruler). He claimed that people's right to criticise, a crucial element in a democracy, was being taken away by the BJP-led coalition government. "This election will be between the people of Assam and the raja (ruler)," Gogoi said on Friday while addressing a 'Gana Abhibarthan' (mass convention) organised by the Dibrugarh District Citizens' Forum here as the state gets into poll mode. Assembly elections are likely to be held in March-April. He asserted that the Constitution has given citizens not only the right to vote, but also the right to criticise the government. "Democracy is impossible without the right to question. Citizens have the right to know what kind of work the government is doing in the fields of health, education and infrastructu

Amit Shah on day-long visit to Assam; to inaugurate projects, address rally

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive here on Monday on a day-long visit to Assam to inaugurate several projects and address a public meeting, officials said. Shah was earlier scheduled to arrive in Guwahati on Sunday night from Ahmedabad, but his flight could not take off due to fog and his visit was postponed to Monday. The home minister will begin his visit by paying homage to martyrs of the Assam movement against illegal infiltrators at the newly constructed 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra' here. He will then leave for Batadrava Than, the birthplace of Vaishnava saint Srimanta Sankardeva, in Borduwa of Nagaon district, where he will inaugurate the Rs 227 crore redevelopment project of the spiritual site. The home minister is also scheduled to address a public rally at Borduwa, immediately after the inauguration. Shah will return to Guwahati where he will inaugurate a Rs 111-crore new building of the Guwahati Police Commissionerate and the Rs 189-crore integrated command

Beyond legacy, towards power as heirs vie for votes in state elections

Across southern and eastern India, upcoming Assembly elections place the spotlight on political heirs looking to translate legacy, governance and organisation into votes

Mobile net services restored in Assam's Karbi Anglong as situation improves

Mobile internet services in violence-hit Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts of Assam were restored on Sunday following improvement in the law and order situation, an official order said. Strict security vigil continued in the districts, along with the deployment of additional security forces in the worst-affected areas, an official said. Two persons were killed and over 170 people injured, mostly security personnel, in violence in parts of West Karbi Anglong district last week. An order by Ajay Tewari, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home and Political Department, said mobile internet services, which had been suspended on December 23, have been restored with immediate effect. The order said that the law and order situation in the two districts has "improved and normalised, and it appears that there is no further apprehension of breach of public peace and tranquility for the time being". It added that the earlier order suspending mobile internet services was revoked f

Assam cabinet approves ₹115.11 crore Nabard loan for infra development

The Assam Cabinet on Saturday approved raising a Rs 115.11 crore loan from NABARD to fast-track infrastructure development and road improvement projects in Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills and Tinsukia districts, Public Health Engineering Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said. Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, Baruah said the loan would help accelerate development works in key hill and industrial districts of the state. The cabinet also approved amendments to the Assam Police Manual to allow both armed and unarmed branch personnel to appear for promotion to assistant sub-inspector of police, promoting merit-based advancement and improved policing efficiency. The cabinet also gave its nod to the settlement of 732 proposals for government khas and ceiling surplus land in Kamrup (Metro) district under Mission Basundhara 3.0, benefitting indigenous and landless families for homestead purposes, he said. Additionally, 168 proposals under Mission Basundhara 2

Assam polls about protecting 'swadesh' and 'swajati': CM Himanta Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the upcoming assembly elections will be a fight to protect 'swadesh' (nation) and 'swajati' (own community), along with the identity, land and culture of the people of the state. BJP represents the last light of hope that will ensure that the state is not pushed into an abyss of darkness by infiltrators from Bangladesh, the chief minister said at the party's executive meeting here. "The forthcoming elections are not about hopes and aspirations. It is about dedicating oneself to the cause of protecting 'swadesh' and 'swajati'. I am sure people know that the BJP is their last hope. They will vote for us, and we will win this election," Sarma said. He alleged that the "weakness of the Congress and its politics of polarisation" led to the gradual creation of "another civilisation which now has a 1.5 crore-strong population". "In the 2011 Census, when we see the breakup of Hindus and Muslims, we find the latter comprise 34 p

Amit Shah to arrive on 2-day Assam visit on Sunday, to inaugurate projects

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive here on Sunday night on a two-day visit to Assam to inaugurate several projects and address a public meeting, officials said on Saturday. After arriving, Shah will spend the night at the state guest house in Koinadhara. On Monday, the home minister is scheduled to pay homage to martyrs of the Assam movement against infiltrators at the newly constructed 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra' before leaving for Batadrava Than, birthplace of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva in Nagaon district, where he will inaugurate the redevelopment project of the spiritual site. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said the state government has taken efforts to restore the sanctity and grandeur of Batadrava Than, which has been freed from encroachments. "Batadrava Than, freed from encroachments, is now a shining example of what steely resolve can do for the protection of our heritage," the CM had said. Shah will return to Guwahati where he will ..

Normalcy returning to Assam's West Karbi Anglong, talks with CM planned

Normalcy was returning to violence-hit areas of Assam's West Karbi Anglong district with no fresh incidents reported, while the state government, autonomous council, and protestors will hold a tripartite meeting in Guwahati on Friday. Strict security vigil is being maintained in the affected areas, after two persons were killed and several others, including police personnel, were injured in violence earlier this week, they said. "The situation is normal now. However, prohibitory orders, night curfew and suspension of mobile internet services in the affected areas continue to be in force," the official said. He added that no fresh incident of violence has been reported over the last couple of days, even as the army, Rapid Action Force and CRPF were deployed in the area. The worst-hit Kheroni area in the district houses people from Bihari, Bengali and Nepali communities apart from the Karbis. The indigenous Karbi and the Bihari communities have been at loggerheads in West Karbi Angl

Assam in 2025: Zubeen Garg's death dominates socio-political landscape

The mysterious death of Assam's cultural icon Zubeen Garg cast a long shadow over the state in 2025, eclipsing major political and administrative developments and triggering an unprecedented public outcry that reverberated through the corridors of power. The year was also marked by political sparring ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, which included allegations involving national security, campaigns against infiltration, and the passage of a bill banning polygamy. The birth centenary celebration of another iconic son of Assam, Bhupen Hazarika, was also launched this year. Garg, who had travelled to Singapore to attend the North East India Festival, died while swimming in the sea on September 19. The unexpected news stunned Assam, while the circumstances of the singer's death sparked widespread suspicion. Lakhs of people lined the streets as Garg's mortal remains were flown back from Singapore. For three days, his body was kept in a stadium for the people to pay their homage befor