Land swapping deal with Bangladesh to stop infiltration: Modi

The Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre is firmly committed to ensure security all Northeast states said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a large gathering of BJP workers at the Sarusajai National Games stadium in Guwahati.

Modi also promised to put the ‘asta lakhsmi states’ on the superhighway of economic development.

Modi called upon the BJP workers to popularise the party’s membership drive in the region.

On the controversial land swap deal with Bangladesh initiated by the previous Congress-led UPA government, Modi assured his party workers that the deal would be exploited by the BJP government to stop infiltration from Bangladesh.

"I will make such arrangements after which all roads will be closed for Bangladeshis coming and destroying Assam daily. Believe my word that land swapping deal will be done for a permanent solution to this problem of Assam," Modi told a party workers' rally in Guwahati.

He said "with full responsibility" that handing over of land (to Bangladesh) will be done only for security of people of Assam and the border and not for "any harm to Assam in future."

Assuring people that there will be no compromise on Assam's security, Modi said he is aware of the sentiment of the people of the state regarding the land swapping agreement.

"I know Assam's problems... I assure you, we will move ahead (with the agreement) considering the country's and Assam's welfare. Assam will gain in long term even if it looks like losing in short term," he said, adding the law will take its own course to punish all those creating problems in Assam.

Modi said the party was indebted to the lakhs of silent and dedicated workers all over the country who are the real strength of the BJP.

“It is a different issue that I am now entrusted with a responsibility, but my most important credential is that I am a worker of the BJP party,” Modi said to loud cheers.

He reiterated BJP government’s commitment to uplift the poor of the country and pointed out that the ‘Jan Dhan Yojana’ launched by the BJP government would benefit the poor. He informed that every week 1 crore bank accounts were being opened in the country because of Jan Dhan Yojana.

"After coming to power, we have made the PSU banks work very hard now. Every week, one crore bank accounts are being opened. Earlier, one crore accounts were opened not even in one month, but in one year."

The prime minister said BJP has for the first time fought elections on the single issue of development and forced other parties to consider this prominently.

"BJP government has only one motto and it is development. No party had the courage to fight elections on development issue. In Maharashtra, Haryana and now in Jharkhand, all parties are talking about development," he said.

Modi said people have seen almost all parties, including those run by families, in government and are now seeing the BJP rule at the Centre.

"BJP doesn't do politics on the basis of casteism, communalism or regionalism. We don't accept that path. BJP always did politics of nationalism. We believe in development with all and for all," he said.

Modi also said his government has given priority to development and job generation in northeast so that the 8 states in the region can progress at rapid pace.

With inputs from PTI