NEW DELHI, Feb 24: The Congress party on Monday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of establishing a “factory of jumlas” in Assam and holding him responsible for alleged corruption under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The party also asserted that the “double dhokha (betrayal) government” would be held accountable for its actions in the upcoming assembly polls next year.

In a statement, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that Assam was suffering due to corruption, misgovernance, and the “land mafia” of the BJP. He emphasized that the people of Assam were angry and no slogans from Modi would quell their frustration, promising that Congress would form the next government in the state.

Kharge also criticized Modi for the alleged political and physical attacks on Congress leaders in Assam. “Recently, Congress leaders in Assam have been attacked both ways – politically and physically. The public will respond to these attacks by forming a Congress government after one year,” he said. He also accused the BJP of hindering the development of Assam and neglecting its youth, tea garden workers, and the state’s economic growth.

Ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Assam, Congress General Secretary in-charge for Assam, Jitendra Singh, accused Chief Minister Sarma of amassing wealth and building a business empire in the state. Singh said that Sarma had accumulated assets, including tea gardens, news portals, international schools, and large tracts of land in areas where land purchase is prohibited, including tribal regions. “What magic lamp did Modi give to Sarma that he became a business tycoon?” Singh asked.

Singh also raised concerns about illegal rat-hole mining occurring under the watch of the Assam CM, questioning whether Modi’s agencies were investigating the matter. State Congress Chief Bhupen Borah pointed out that the Assam Tribal Students Organization had raised three critical questions to PM Modi, including the unfulfilled promise to increase the daily wage of tea workers and grant six communities of Assam Scheduled Tribe status.

Borah also criticized the BJP for failing to act on illegal rat-hole mining and for the lack of action on violent attacks against Congress leaders. He raised questions about the BJP’s tacit consent in the rising violence in Assam and alleged that the state was descending into “Jungle Raj.”

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, addressing the press conference, assured that the party would not be intimidated by attempts to scare them. “The BJP tried to intimidate many of our leaders, but you will not see even a trace of fear on our faces,” Khera said. He vowed that Congress would continue questioning the BJP, especially during the election period, and would not rest until they held the ruling party accountable.

Gaurav Gogoi, another Congress leader, claimed that the BJP was a “factory of slogans,” and Modi and Sarma were both responsible for creating a false narrative. He accused Sarma of exploiting land in Assam while Modi’s government failed to deliver on its promises, despite Modi’s claims of being a saint. “If Narendra Modi is the head of the slogan factory, then Himanta Biswa Sarma is the regional manager of this factory,” Gogoi remarked.

In a joint statement, Congress leaders raised several pointed questions to PM Modi, including who is responsible for the alleged corruption, land grabs, and scams in Assam. They also questioned why Assam’s youth unemployment rate was among the highest in the country and why the BJP had failed to meet the promises made in its 2016 Vision document.

The Congress leaders also questioned the BJP’s handling of law and order, its failure to uphold the Assam Accord, and its handling of illegal immigration. They concluded that Assam was in crisis under the BJP’s rule and demanded that the “double dhokha government” be held accountable for its failures.

As the political rhetoric heats up ahead of the 2025 Assam Assembly elections, the Congress party continues to escalate its criticisms of the BJP government in the state, vowing to seek justice and change for the people of Assam.