New Delhi, Jan 12 (UNI) Assam Finance Minister and key BJP leader from the north east Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said raising of slogans 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' in BJP meet is a different experience for him.
Addressing the BJP National Convention here, Mr Sarma defended the central government to go for the Citizenship Amendment Bill.
"This Bill was like commitment made to Hindus, Jains and others who want to come from Pakistan and other countries after religious persecution. It was like national commitment to these people during partition. These sections have never wanted country's division. The partition was rather imposed on these people," he said.
"Prime Minister has rightly said in Silchar that The Citizenship Bill is not a mercy to Hindus or others. It is actually a correction for the Congress sin committed during partition," Mr Sarma said.
He also lauded Prime Minister Modi for giving a push to the NRC exercise and said the people of the northeastern region will 'remember' the Prime Minister with gratitude for next 100 years.
A former Congress man, Sarma said he had attended many Congress meetings in his three-decade old political career, but in each of these "we used to hear only Rahul Gandhi ki Jai and Sonia Gandhi Ki Jai".
"The sloganeering of Bharat Mata Ki Jai in BJP meetings is a different experience," he said while speaking in support of the political resolution moved by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and seconded by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
He said the ensuing elections would be certainly a fight between two ideologies. "On one side, we have an ideology being pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the other there is a family line. In 2014, the dynastic politics was rejected by the people. I have no doubts in my mind to say in 2019 also the family line of Gandhis will be outright rejected by the people," said Mr Sarma, who also heads the BJP-led front of regional parties the North East Democratic Alliance.
"In the battle between philosophy of Lord Rama and that of Babur, the victory of Lord Rama is inevitable," Mr Sarma said.
By giving a reference of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's pet dog, Mr Sarma tried to attack the grand old party for its sycophancy culture and said the principal opposition party did not have any commitment for serving the country either.
He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the north eastern states have made immense progress in highways, waterways and airways as well.
"Once upon a time Delhi remained far off from the northeast. But in only four years due to works carried out by the Modi government, the far-flung region has now come closer to the national capital," the BJP leader said.
He said the withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Power Act from Tripura, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh is seen as an achievement for the government as well as the people.
He also highlighted various development projects in the region.
"The 'transformation through transportation' Mantra given by Prime Minister has done wonders in the region," Mr Sarma said.
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