Mangaldoi/Numaligarh (Assam), Sep 14 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of siding with terrorists groomed by Pakistan instead of supporting the Indian Army, and hailed the Assam government for "evicting infiltrators from encroached land".

Addressing a public meeting at Mangaldoi in Darrang district, Modi slammed the grand old party for allegedly protecting infiltrators and anti-national forces.

During the day, the PM launched development projects worth Rs 18,350 crore in the state, where the assembly polls are due next year.

At another rally at Numaligarh in Golaghat district, Modi said the central government is taking steps to reduce crude oil and gas imports, focusing more on the exploration of fossil fuels and green energy.

The US recently increased levies on Indian products for the country's purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total amount of tariffs imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent.

"The Congress, instead of supporting the Indian Army, backs terrorists groomed by Pakistan. During 'Operation Sindoor', the Congress, instead of supporting our armed forces, which destroyed the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, was engaged in protecting infiltrators and anti-national forces," the PM alleged.

'Operation Sindoor' was successful due to Ma Kamakhya's blessings, Modi said, adding that he was honoured to be present on this sacred land.

Continuing his tirade against the grand old party in Mangaldoi, the PM said that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Saturday night shown him a video in which a former Congress president was seen saying that the "BJP was honouring singers and dancers".

The Congress leader's comment came after the BJP had bestowed the Bharat Ratna on Bhupen Hazarika in 2019, Modi said.

''The wounds inflicted by Jawaharlal Nehru, during the Chinese aggression in 1962, on the people of Assam are yet to heal, but this insult to Hazarika is like adding salt to the wound," the prime minister claimed.

''I am pained by this insult to Bhupen da, but people are my masters and they will answer whether the BJP was right or not in conferring the Bharat Ratna on the legendary singer," Modi said.

People should also ask the Congress why its leaders "insulted a legend like Bhupen Hazarika", the PM said.

The BJP's double-engine government is committed to realising the dreams of Assam's great sons like Hazarika, he said.

The term double engine is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state.

The PM again took a dig at the Congress in the second meeting of the day at Numaligarh, alleging that it was responsible for insurgency and unrest in Assam.

“The Congress also ignored the heritage and icons of Assam. But, the BJP brought development and gave recognition to the state’s heritage,” he claimed.

The PM said at Mangaldoi that the Congress had ruled Assam for decades, but built "only three bridges" over the Brahmaputra river, while the BJP-led dispensation constructed six such structures in the last 10 years.

Modi also praised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for "evicting infiltrators from encroached land and ensuring that farmers can now cultivate on these plots".

The land parcels once illegally occupied are now witnessing an agricultural revolution in the hands of farmers and indigenous people, he claimed.

"The BJP will not allow infiltrators to grab land, insult women and girls, and conspire to change demography, which is a threat to national security," he asserted.

"'Mukabla ho jai' (let there be a fight) in protecting Assam from infiltrators who are protected by certain sections of the society, and I challenge them as the BJP will not allow this (infiltration)," Modi said.

The prime minister also said, "There are conspiracies to alter the demography in the border regions through infiltration, and this poses a serious threat to national security; therefore, a nationwide Demography Mission is now being launched." On the development front, Modi said that though India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, the country is still dependent on foreign nations for crude oil and gas.

“To change this, the focus has to be on meeting our energy requirements. The government is working on oil exploration and green energy generation,” the PM said.

Modi added that Assam's growth rate was at a staggering 13 per cent.

"This was achieved due to the efforts of the double-engine government. The Centre and the state government are developing Assam as a health hub. The Northeast has a big role to play in achieving the 'Viksit Bharat' dream," the PM said.

The Centre has been focusing on connectivity in the Northeast, which has helped businesses and created employment opportunities for youth, he said.

''Rapid development in any region requires robust connectivity, and our government is committed to enhancing seamless multimodal connectivity in the North East," he said.

The PM said that 25 years of the 21st century have passed, and the next chapter of this century "belongs to the East and the North East".

Modi urged people to buy 'swadeshi' goods for the development of the country and the bright future of their children.

Earlier in the day, the PM launched projects estimated at Rs 18,530 crore in the northeastern state, comprising health and infra projects worth Rs 6,300 crore in Mangaldai, and an ethanol plant and Petro Fluidised Catalytic Cracker Unit with a combined cost of Rs 12,230 crore in Numaligarh. PTI DG BDC SSG RBT MNB BDC