'Trust Your Sevak': Modi's Assurance as Northeast Seethes Over Citizenship Amendment Bill

Ranchi: Amid widespread protests over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the people of Northeast, particularly Assam, to maintain peace and assured them that their interests will be protected at all costs.

“From the place of Baba Bholenath, I assure you that there will be no impact on culture, tradition, language of northeast people, including Assam. Their interest will be safeguarded. I urge them to have faith in Modi government which is committed to the development of the northeast region. In the last five years, I have visited northeast more than all the previous prime ministers," Modi said in a rally at Jharkhand’s Dhanbad on Thursday.

“Confusion is being created over CAB by the Congress and its allies. I appeal to the people of northeast not to get influenced by these people. Clause 6 will be safeguarded. We feel proud of the culture of Assam.”

Hitting out at the Congress, Modi said the grand old party has “lost faith in tribals, Dalits and other sections of society. They are now depending on the votes of only one community and lying on the CAB. There will be no impact on the citizens of the country".

He added, “Congress leaders had promised citizenship to displaced people of Pakistan and Bangladesh. India was divided in 1947 and in 1971, Bangladesh was created. Those most affected were minority people living in those countries. The minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh were Hindu, Sikhs, Parsis, Jain, Christians who were living there for generations. The division was imposed on them. Inhuman behaviour was meted out and women were subjected to different forms of exploitation. The temples, churches, gurdwaras were vandalised. They (displaced minorities) were living in different parts of the country for decades. Congress made hollow promises to them. It was the BJP which fulfilled the promise."

Modi also said the BJP scrapped Article 370 and implemented Indian laws and the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir. “We facilitated for solution of Ram Janmabhoomi dispute that was pending for decades. We framed laws for Triple Talaq, which helps not only Muslim women but also the men.”