PM Modi announces ‘demography mission’ to counter 'infiltration' in border areas: What it means

PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, while addressing a rally at Mangaldoi in Assam's Darrang, said the government is in the process of launching a “demography mission”. He said the mission aims to tackle a premeditated conspiracy to change the demography of India’s border areas with the help of 'infiltrators'.

Calling it a grave threat to national security, Modi said the BJP government's goal is to protect the people from infiltrators and remove them.

Modi accused Congress of shielding and protecting 'infiltrators'. "Those protecting the infiltrators will suffer. Mark my words. The country will not pardon them,” he said. Stating that Congress has become a supporter of anti-India forces, Modi added that the party had supported infiltration when it was in power.

PM Modi said Congress wants the infiltrators to stay in India permanently and accused the party of promoting encroachment of land belonging to farmers, tribals, and places of worship. Modi also highlighted the BJP's efforts to reclaim such land.

"Under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, lakhs of bighas of land grabbed by infiltrators have been taken back. In Darrang, land in Gorukhuti was under the grip of infiltrators. The encroachment has been cleared,” he said.

The PM accused Congress of siding with individuals and ideologies that are anti-India. He said when Congress was in power, India suffered, but the party remained silent. “Today, our forces uprooted the kingpins of terrorism during Operation Sindoor, but Congress, instead of standing by the Indian military, stood by the Pakistani military. Congress take forward the agenda of those who nurture terrorism. Pakistan war becomes an agenda for Congress. So, you always have to be wary of Congress,” Modi said.

He added that Congress never prioritised the country’s policy and always put its vote bank first. Modi also criticised the Congress President over remarks on Assam’s cultural icon, Bhupen Hazarika. "When the Government of India conferred Bharat Ratna to Bhupen Hazarika, the Congress President said Modi gives Bharat Ratna to dancers and singers. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said that the wound of the Northeast is yet to be healed, and the Congress’s present generation is adding salt to it,” he said.

“How much you abuse me, I am a devotee of Lord Shiva, I swallow all poison. When someone is insulted, I cannot tolerate," Modi added, criticising Congress for mocking Bhupen Hazarika.