Gogoi fires salvo at Modi

‘I and Rahul will create a new Assam’

GUWAHATI, February 25: Addressing a rally of the Congress in which Congress vice–president Rahul Gandhi was the chief speaker on Tuesday, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi launched a vitriolic attack on BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying Modi was concerned primarily with power while Rahul had never sought power. ‘‘It was late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who had wanted to empower the rural people of the country. Rahul Gandhi is following that ideal,’’ he said.

Gogoi said that Modi had come to Assam to mislead its people. ‘‘Modi is an veteran in spreading misinformation. Such misinformation will not work in Assam. Modi helps rich people, basically industrialists, while the Congress has always come to the aid of the poor people first. We do not want any certificate from Modi. Our people will give us certificate,’’ he added.

Pointing to the ‘‘pro–people’’ policy of the Congress, Gogoi said that Rahul had interacted with people from various ethnic groups in Diphu but Modi had never done such thing. ‘‘Why does not Modi muster courage to meet people from different ethnic groups in our State?’’ he asked.

Gogoi compared the development works undertaken during the BJP–led NDA rule with the Congress–led rule. ‘‘It is during the Congress–led rule that development has gathered great momentum in Assam. We have given smiles to the faces of the people of the State. But during the time of the AGP–BJP rule, they had snatched away people’s smiles. In fact Modi came to Assam to destabilize the State. But we are for stability. Also, Modi talks of development in Gujarat, but why has he been unable to hold National Games in his State? But I have done this in our State. Let Modi have the courage to host such big event,’’ he said.

Gogoi went to the extent of saying that he was getting old but whenever he met Rahul Gandhi he felt young and energetic. ‘‘Both of us will create a new Assam,’’ he said.

The rally was attended by Assam Congress chief Bhubaneswar Kalita, Union minister Rani Narah, AICC general secretary and party’s Assam in–charge CP Joshi, AICC secretary Avinash Pandey and BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary on the dais.

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