Speaking at the inauguration of the โน227 crore Batadrava Than redevelopment project in Nagaon district, Shah praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for reclaiming one lakh bighas of land from "Bangladeshi infiltrators."
"We will drive out infiltrators from the entire country in the same way," Shah declared, accusing opponents of treating them as vote banks.He paid tribute to Bordoloi, Assam's first chief minister, saying: "Without Gopinath Bordoloi, Assam and the Northeast would not have been part of India. It was he who compelled Jawaharlal Nehru to keep Assam within India."
The event marked the revamp of the birthplace of 15th-century Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Shankardev, a symbol of Assam's cultural unity. Shah performed darshan at the Guru Asana and was welcomed with traditional Sattriya performances. Shah highlighted peace accords with insurgent groups, noting 92 per cent implementation, and new security measures in Guwahati.
He urged voters to back BJP for complete removal of infiltrators and contrasted Assam's development with former PM Manmohan Singh's limited visits .Chief Minister Sarma called it a commitment to preserving Shankardev's legacy and cultural heritage.
The project, approved in the 2021-22 budget, aims to boost tourism and transmit the saint's philosophy to future generations. Shah's remarks reinforce the BJP's focus on citizenship and border security ahead of elections, while invoking historical figures to underscore national integration.
