Nagaon: Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani being presented an 'Assamese Japi' by party leaders during a public meeting in support of the party candidate Anil Saikia ahead of state assembly polls, at Ambagan in Nagaon District of Assam, Saturday, March 13, 2021. (PTI Photo)
Sivasagar (Assam), March 13 (PTI) Union minister and senior BJP leader Smriti Zubin Irani said here on Saturday the opposition Congress only showed dreams of development during its regime in Assam, but the promises were fulfilled after the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power at the Centre.
Addressing her second rally during the day ahead of the state assembly elections, the Union textiles minister alleged that the Congress "looted public money" and did not undertake developmental works in Assam during its regime in the state.
"Congress had ruled Assam for years and showed dreams of development. However, development works started only when Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014," she said.
Irani, also the minister of women and child development, said funds will continue to come from the Centre, but it will reach the people through the state exchequer if there is a government of the BJP in the northeastern state.
"One Congress leader had said only 10 paise reach the people for every rupee released by the Centre. That means the leader also accepted that Congress workers and local activists looted public money," she added.
The Union minister asserted that no one has dared to touch the taxpayers' money after Modi came to power at the Centre.
Taking a dig at the "mismanagement" in the Congress party, Irani said, "Their leaders don't see eye to eye. Two leaders in that party cannot take a decision, and they allied with an outfit which is destroying Assamese culture."
Irani said the Congress could not even construct toilets for poor people but is promising to build colleges and universities.
"There was a mistake last time, it should not happen this time," she said, referring to the Congress' victory at the Sivasagar constituency in the 2016 Assembly polls.
Irani was in Sivasagar, which is going to poll on March 27, to campaign for BJP candidate Surabhi Rajkonwar.
Rajkonwar is pitted against jailed anti-CAA activist Akhil Gogoi and Congress leader Subhramitra Gogoi.
