English rendering of PM’s address during inauguration of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati, Assam

Prime Minister's Office English rendering of PM’s address during inauguration of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati, Assam प्रव तथ: 20 DEC 2025 8:26PM by PIB Delhi नोमोार। लुइटपोरया राइजोलोई मुर ोद्धा अरु मरोम ज़ासस!ु Governor of Assam, Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya ji, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ji, my colleagues in the central government, our former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ji, Ram Mohan Naidu ji, Muralidhar Mohol ji, Pabitra Margherita ji, ministers of the Assam government, other dignitaries, brothers and sisters. Before I begin my speech, I request all of you that today is the day of victory, in a way it is a day of celebration of development and this is a celebration of development not just of Assam but of the entire North East, and hence I request you to take out your mobile phone, turn on the flashlight on it and all of you become a part of this development festival. Everyone's mobile phone lights should be on! Look, the whole country will see, through the resounding applause, that Assam is celebrating the festival of development. When the light of development reaches, every path of life starts touching new heights. Thank you very much everyone. Friends, My deep connection to the land of Assam, the love and affection of its people, and especially the warmth and sense of belonging I receive from my mothers and sisters of Assam and the North-East, constantly inspire me and strengthen our resolve for the development of the North-East. I see that today, a new chapter is being added to the development of Assam, and in this context, the words of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Da (Hazarika) become very relevant. लुइदोर पार जलकाई टुलबोलोई, आमी ोताबोद्ध! आमी हॉन्कल्पबोद्ध! This means the banks of the Luit (Lohit) River will be illuminated, every wall of darkness will be broken down, and this will happen; this is our resolve, this is our promise. Friends, These lines of Bhupen Da were not just a song, it was the resolution of every great soul who loved Assam and today this resolution is being proved before us. Just as the mighty Brahmaputra River flows ceaselessly through Assam, the stream of development is also flowing continuously here under the BJP's double-engine government. The inauguration of the new terminal of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport today is a testimony to our resolve. I extend my heartiest congratulations to all the people of Assam and the entire nation on this new terminal building. Brothers and sisters, Just a short while ago, I had the privilege of unveiling the statue of Gopinath Bordoloi ji. Bordoloi ji was the first Chief Minister of Assam, he was the pride of Assam, he never compromised on the identity of Assam, the future of Assam and the interests of Assam. This statue of his will continue to inspire thecoming generations and will awaken a sense of pride in them about Assam. Friends, Modern airport facilities and state-of-the-art connectivity infrastructure are gateways to new possibilities and opportunities for any state. These are the pillars of the growing confidence of the state and the trust of the people. When you see that such magnificent highways and airports are being built in Assam, you also say - now justice has started being done to Assam. Otherwise, friends, The development of Assam and the North East was simply not on the agenda of the Congress governments. Congress governments and the people sitting in them used to say, who goes to Assam and the North-East? Congress used to say, why does Assam, the North-East, need modern airports, highways and better railways? Because of this mindset, the Congress neglected this entire region for decades. Friends, The mistakes that Congress kept making for 6-7 decades, Modi is correcting them one by one. Modi says, whether the Congress people go to the Northeast or not, I feel like I am among my people as soon as I come to the Northeast and Assam. For Modi, development of Assam is a need, a responsibility and also an accountability. And that is why friends, In the last 11 years, development projects worth lakhs of crores of rupees have been started for Assam and the Northeast. Today, Assam is progressing and setting new records. I am pleased to learn that Assam has become the number one state in the country in implementing the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. Assam has also created a new record by installing more than 50 lakh smart pre-paid meters. During the Congress regime, it was impossible to get a government job in Assam without bribes and favoritism. But today, thousands of young people are getting jobs here without any bribes or favoritism. Under the BJP government, the culture of Assam is being promoted on every platform. I cannot forget the event on April 13th last year, when more than 11,000 artists performed the Bihu dance together at the Guwahati stadium. This event was recorded in the Guinness World Records. Assam is moving ahead rapidly by creating new records like this. Friends, This new terminal building will significantly increase the capacity of Guwahati and Assam. More than 12.5 crore passengers will be able to travel through this terminal every year! This means a large number of tourists will be able to visit Assam. The facility of visiting Maa Kamakhya will also become easier for the devotees. Stepping into this new airport terminal, it becomes clear what the mantra of "development and heritage" truly means. This airport has been designed keeping in mind the nature and culture of Assam. There is greenery inside the terminal; it features an indoor forest-like setting. The design is inspired by nature all around, ensuring that every passenger feels a sense of peace and tranquility. Bamboo has been used extensively in its construction. Bamboo is an integral part of life in Assam, it shows both strength and beauty here. And the past governments sitting in Delhi did not even know what this bamboo was. You will be surprised, before you gave me work in 2014, there was a law in our country, this law was such that you cannot cut bamboo, now someone please explain to me why? Because they said that bamboo is a tree, it is a tree, and once it was said that it is a tree, then all the doors were closed. Whereas the world believes that bamboo is a plant and we removed the law and brought it in the category of grass, which is actually the identity of bamboo and only then today such a huge grand building has been constructed from bamboo and today if you look at the social media, then the designs of Indian airports are being discussed all over the world.Friends, This development of infrastructure is sending a huge message and is becoming the hallmark of India's development journey. This boosts industry, provides investors with confidence in connectivity, and opens the way for local products to be exported worldwide. And, the greatest confidence is gained by the youth for whom new opportunities arise. And that is why today we see Assam soaring on this path of immense possibilities. Friends, The world's perception of India has changed today, and India's role has also changed. India is now going to become the third largest economy in the world. How did this happen just in 11 years? Friends, The development of modern infrastructure plays a crucial role in this. India is preparing for 2047, and to fulfill the resolve of a developed India, we are focusing on infrastructure. And the most important thing is that every state and every region of the country is participating in this great campaign of development. We are giving priority to the underprivileged. Our government is working in this direction so that every state of the country progresses together and contributes to the mission of developed India. And I am happy that today Assam and the North-East are leading this mission of ours. We gave priority to the North-East through the Act East Policy, and today, we see Assam emerging as the Eastern Gateway of India. Assam is playing the role of a bridge to connect India with ASEAN countries. This beginning will go a long way. And, Assam will become the engine of a developed India in many sectors. Friends, Today Assam and the entire North-East are becoming the new gateway to India's development. The commitment to multi-modal connectivity has transformed both the direction and the condition of this region. The pace of building new bridges in Assam, the speed of installing new mobile towers, and the momentum of every development project are turning dreams into reality. The bridges built over the Brahmaputra River have given Assam's connectivity new strength and renewed confidence. In the 6-7 decades after independence, only three major bridges were built here. But in the last decade, four new mega bridges have been completed, and several other historic projects are taking shape. The longest bridges, such as the Bogibeel and Dhola-Sadiya bridges, have made Assam strategically even stronger. Railway connectivity has also undergone a revolutionary transformation. The opening of the Bogibeel Bridge has reduced the distance between Upper Assam and the rest of the country. The Vande Bharat Express, running from Guwahati to New Jalpaiguri, has further reduced travel time. Assam is also getting the benefit of development of waterways in the country. Cargo traffic has increased by 140 percent, a testament to the fact that the Brahmaputra is not just a river but a flow of economic power. The first ship repair facility is being developed in Pandu, there is excitement about the Ganga Vikas Cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh, which has put the North East on the global cruise tourism map. Friends, The country's security, unity and integrity had to suffer a huge loss due to the sin committed by the Congress governments of keeping Assam and the North-East away from development. While violence flourished for decades under Congress rule, we are now moving towards ending it within just 10-11 years. In the North-East, where violence and bloodshed were once commonplace, digital connectivity is now reaching even the remotest areas with 4G and 5G technology. The districts which were once considered violence-prone are today developing as aspirational districts. In the coming years, these very regions will also become industrial corridors. That is why a new sense of confidence has emerged regarding the North East. We must strengthen this further.Friends, We are also getting success in the development of Assam and the North-East because we are protecting the identity and culture of this region. Congress had committed another sin; it had conspired to erase the identity of this place. And this conspiracy is not just a matter of a few years! The roots of this sin of Congress are linked to before independence. At that time, when the Muslim League and the British government were working together to prepare the ground for the partition of India, there was a plan to make Assam a part of undivided Bengal, that is, East Pakistan. The Congress party was about to become a part of that conspiracy. That's when Bordoloi ji stood up against his own party. He opposed this conspiracy to destroy Assam's identity and saved Assam from being separated from the country. BJP party always rises above party lines and respects every patriot. When the Bhartiya Janata Party government came to power under the leadership of Atal ji, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna. Brothers and sisters, Bordoloi ji had saved Assam before independence, but after him, Congress again started anti-Assam and anti-national activities. The Congress has hatched conspiracies of religious appeasement to increase its vote bank. In Bengal and Assam, infiltrators who constitute their vote bank have been given a free hand. The demography of the region has been altered. These infiltrators have encroached upon our forests and seized our lands. As a result, the security and identity of the entire state of Assam are at stake. Friends, Today, Himanta Ji's government and all his team members are working very hard to free Assam's resources from this illegal and anti-national encroachment. Work is being done at every level to ensure that the resources of Assam are useful to the people of Assam. The central government has also taken strict measures to stop infiltration. Illegal intruders are also being identified to expel them. But brothers and sisters, People of Congress Party and INDI alliance have openly come out with anti-national agendas. Even the Supreme Court of the country has spoken about expelling illegal immigrants. But these people are making statements in defense of these infiltrators. Their lawyers are advocating for the settlement of the infiltrators in the court. While the Election Commission is conducting the SIR process for fair elections, these people are feeling uneasy in every corner of the country. Such people will not protect the interests of our Assamese brothers and sisters. These people will allow someone else to occupy your land and forests; their anti-national mentality can create situations of violence and unrest like the old times. And therefore, my brothers and sisters of Assam, we must be very careful. We have to protect the identity of Assam for which people like Bordoloi ji sacrificed everything throughout their lives. The people of Assam must remain united. We have to save the development of Assam from getting derailed, we have to keep foiling the conspiracies of Congress at every moment, at every step. Friends, Today the world is looking towards India with hope. The new sunrise of India's future has to happen from the North-East. For this, we must work together to realize our dreams. We have to keep the development of Assam at the forefront. I am confident that our collective efforts will take Assam to new heights. We will fulfill the dream of a developed India. And the path to a developed India will be paved through a developed Assam. With this hope, I once again congratulate you all on the new terminal. Thank you very much to all of you. Say with me- Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram.Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram. Vande Mataram. *** MJPS/VJ/AK/SS (रलीज़ आईडी: 2207075) आगंतुक पटल : 588 इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही , Marathi , Assamese , Manipuri , Bengali , Punjabi , Gujarati , Odia , Kannada , Malayal am