Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the Northeast has to grow in order to achieve the goal of “Viksit Bharat,” and he accused the Congress of neglecting the area for many years.

Speaking at a public gathering at Meleng Meteli Pothar in this city, he said that heritage and development was the “mantra of double-engine government” after the announcement of projects in Assam valued at Rs 17, 500 crore.

Additionally, he said that poaching at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Kaziranga National Park was caused by the Congress government’s “insensitive and unplanned conservation strategy”.

According to him, over 27 rhinos were murdered in 2013 however, as a result of the NDA government’s measures, there were no more poaching incidences in 2022.