Arunachal BJP slams Congress for criticising PM Modi's Itanagar rally

Itanagar, Sep 23 (PTI) The Arunachal Pradesh BJP on Tuesday slammed the opposition Congress for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Itanagar, calling it a politically motivated attempt to undermine a "historic event".

The state Congress criticised PM Modi, alleging that instead of addressing the pressing concerns of the state, such as unemployment and poor health infrastructure, he glorified himself and turned an official programme into a BJP election campaign.

In a statement, the state BJP said the accusation that Modi used the rally only to attack the opposition and glorify himself was "misleading and false".

Stressing that the PM laid the foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 5,100 crore during the visit, the BJP said the Congress had ruled the state for decades but left it with "a legacy of failure, corruption and neglect".

It alleged that the successive Congress governments failed to build even basic roads, create jobs, or provide quality healthcare and education.

Claiming that the Congress lacked the political will to develop border infrastructure and remained "fearful of China", the BJP said that by contrast, its government brought "transformational changes" in the state.

Listing the various projects undertaken by the current government, the party said Arunachal Pradesh has witnessed "record progress" in digital connectivity, education, healthcare facilities and border area development.

Rejecting the state Congress's allegations of misuse of government machinery and coercion of state employees to attend the rally, the BJP said such charges reflect Congress's own past record of "political misuse of power".

"While Congress now tries to claim credit for major milestones in Arunachal’s history, it was the BJP that has raised crucial constitutional issues such as inclusion of the state under the Sixth Schedule by strengthening Article 371(H)," it said.

"The people of Arunachal Pradesh are now seeing real results on the ground, not just promises," it added. PTI UPL UPL SOM