'Assam will not bow to Pakistani agent': Himanta Biswa Sarma targets Gaurav Gogoi at Kaziranga corridor launch

The Chief Minister said Assam had undergone a transformation in recent years, both culturally and developmentally.

• PM Modi laid foundation for Kaziranga Elevated Corridor in Assam
• Corridor to enhance connectivity and safeguard wildlife in Kaziranga Park
• Assam CM Sarma thanked PM for new trains and highlighted state's development

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday mounted a sharp attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, saying the state would not bow to any “Pakistani agent”, as he spoke at the foundation-laying ceremony of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Yesterday, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi opposed this project. I want to tell him clearly that no Assamese person surrenders before any Pakistani agent. This is a new Assam,” Sarma said at the event in Nagaon district.

Thanking Prime Minister Modi for expanding rail connectivity in the state, Sarma added, “We express our gratitude to the Prime Minister for giving three new trains to Assam in just two days.”

The Chief Minister said Assam had undergone a transformation in recent years, both culturally and developmentally. “Yesterday, 10,000 artists performed the Bagurumba dance in front of the Prime Minister. With his blessings, Assam is now standing with its own self-respect,” he said.

Highlighting conservation gains, Sarma said, “Assam has changed so much that no one now dares to kill rhinos in Kaziranga.” He added that the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor, being built at a cost of around Rs 7,000 crore, would significantly improve travel efficiency. “After completion, travel time through this stretch will reduce by nearly one hour,” he said.

Looking ahead to the 2026 Assembly elections, Sarma expressed confidence in the BJP’s prospects. “I never imagined that bridges over the Brahmaputra, an underwater tunnel and the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor would become reality. BJP will form the government again in Assam in 2026, and that victory will be a gift to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project, part of the four-laning of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of National Highway 715, involving an investment of over Rs 6,950 crore. He also flagged off two Amrit Bharat Express trains — Kamakhya–Rohtak and Dibrugarh–Gomti Nagar (Lucknow).

The 86-km project includes a 35-km elevated wildlife corridor passing through Kaziranga National Park, along with a 21-km bypass and widening of a 30-km stretch of NH-715 from two to four lanes. Officials said the project aims to improve connectivity while ensuring uninterrupted wildlife movement, reducing human-animal conflict and enhancing road safety.

The corridor will pass through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong and Golaghat districts and is expected to significantly boost connectivity to Upper Assam, particularly Dibrugarh and Tinsukia, while supporting rising passenger and freight traffic.