Guwahati, March 15 (NationPress) Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a fierce critique of the Congress party on Sunday, accusing it of transforming Assam into a "sanctuary for infiltrators" during its administration. He emphasized that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is committed to eradicating illegal immigration in the region.

While addressing the Yuva Shakti Samaroha in Khamapara, Guwahati, Shah pointed out that the Congress had overlooked the welfare of tea tribes and Adivasi communities during its governance. In contrast, the BJP has made significant advancements for their benefit.

He noted that the state government has extended financial support of Rs 5,000 to tea garden laborers and secured land rights for approximately 3.5 lakh families across 707 tea gardens in Assam.

Criticizing the Congress over illegal immigration, Shah claimed that the party not only permitted infiltrators to enter Assam but also "legalized, formalized, and normalized" their existence.

"The Congress administrations have turned Assam into a refuge for infiltrators. We pledged to liberate Assam from these infiltrators, and under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, roughly 1.51 lakh bighas of land have been reclaimed from encroachers," he stated.

Shah also took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asserting that this process aims to eliminate infiltrators from the voter lists.

"Rahul Gandhi's opposition to SIR stems from the fact that it is removing infiltrators' names from the electoral rolls. This is merely the beginning -- every infiltrator will ultimately have to exit the country," he remarked.

The Union Home Minister further asserted that Assam used to be a hotspot for insurgency during Congress's rule, which led to the deaths of numerous young people.

He praised the BJP-led state government for working towards restoring peace through various peace accords.

Shah mentioned the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord in 2020, succeeded by the Karbi peace accord in 2021, the Adivasi peace agreement in 2022, the DNLA agreement in 2023, and the ULFA accord in 2024.

According to Shah, over 10,800 weapons have been surrendered by insurgent groups due to these peace efforts.

He also highlighted the establishment of a memorial for Srimanta Sankardeva and another tribute to the martyrs of the Assam Movement after reclaiming land from encroachers.

Shah claimed that the state government has created 1.65 lakh jobs for the youth without any corruption or litigation, showcasing it as a model of transparent governance.

He expressed confidence that the enthusiastic participation of around 1.25 lakh youths at the event reflects robust support for the BJP and predicted the party would achieve its largest-ever majority in the forthcoming Assembly elections.