Shivraj Singh Chouhan Accuses Congress of Five 'Maha Paap' Against Assam at Rangia Rally

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed a large public rally in Rangia on Saturday in support of BJP candidate Bhavesh Kalita, mounting one of the sharpest historical attacks on the Congress party seen in this election cycle — accusing it of committing five major wrongs against Assam over decades of rule.

The rally was organised by the Assam Pradesh BJP as part of its statewide campaign ahead of the April 9 polls.

Also Read: Assam Has Transformed from Fear to Growth: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Chouhan structured his critique of Congress around what he called five historic Maha Paap — great sins — against Assam, each of which he said left lasting damage on the state.

1. The Partition threat: Chouhan alleged that during the time of Partition, there was a proposal to merge Assam with Pakistan — averted only through the determined resistance of Gopinath Bordoloi.

2. The 1962 Chinese aggression: He alleged that then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru left Assam vulnerable during the Chinese aggression, causing panic and disorder, particularly in Tezpur.

3. Illegal infiltration: Chouhan alleged that Congress, driven by vote bank politics, allowed large-scale infiltration that threatened Assam's demographic identity, culture, and ecological heritage — including sensitive zones such as Kaziranga.

4. Denial of recognition to Assam's icons: He criticised the Congress for failing to honour Assam's towering personalities in time, noting that Bordoloi was not accorded timely national recognition, while cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika received his due only recently under the BJP government.

5. Suppression of the Assam Movement: Chouhan alleged that democratic voices — particularly those of students — were crushed through force during the Assam Movement under Congress rule.

Chouhan also drew on his own long association with Assam to contrast what he described as the fear and underdevelopment of the Congress era with the transformation he attributed to the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

He noted that areas once inaccessible due to poor roads and security concerns have now seen unprecedented growth, connectivity, and stability — making Assam, he said, "a source of pride for the entire nation."

Turning to the present, Chouhan described the Congress as a party in the grip of an internal leadership crisis, characterising the current power dynamics as a "Raja versus Rajkumar" struggle — an apparent reference to tensions within the party's national leadership.

He alleged that the recent political entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has coincided with growing internal instability, with several leaders reportedly distancing themselves from the party and others waiting to exit.

Chouhan also accused Congress of what he termed "parachute leadership" — a culture where power is inherited rather than earned through grassroots engagement — and claimed the party's opposition to key national initiatives is driven by narrow vote-bank calculations rather than genuine public interest.

"The party today stands fragmented, directionless, and disconnected from the aspirations of the people," he said.