PM Modi Slams Congress for Neglecting Arunachal Pradesh, Blames Small Seats and Population for Decades of Damage

Itanagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday took a swipe at the Congress party, accusing it of neglecting Arunachal Pradesh due to its small population and just two Lok Sabha seats, which, he said, caused serious damage to the state and the entire North East.

Speaking at a rally in Itanagar, PM Modi said, “Although Arunachal Pradesh is where the sun’s rays fall first, it took several decades for the rays of rapid development to reach here. Those who were running the country from Delhi at that time often ignored Arunachal. Parties like Congress thought there were so few people and only two Lok Sabha seats, so why pay attention to Arunachal? This mindset of Congress caused significant harm to Arunachal and the entire North East.”

He added, “When I was given the opportunity to serve the nation in 2014, I resolved to free the country from the mindset of Congress. Our guiding principle is not the number of votes or seats in any state, but ‘Nation First’. Our only mantra is Nagrik Devo Bhava (the citizen is God). Modi worships those whom no one has ever asked about. That is why Arunachal Pradesh, which was neglected during Congress rule, has since 2014 become a center of developmental priority.”

PM Modi unveiled infrastructure projects worth Rs 5,125.37 crore in Arunachal Pradesh. From Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, he virtually laid the foundation stones for two major hydropower projects in Shi Yomi district and a state-of-the-art convention centre in Tawang.

The Tato-I Hydro Electric Project, with a capacity of 186 MW, will be developed jointly by the Arunachal Pradesh government and NEEPCO at Rs 1,750 crore, generating around 802 million units of electricity annually. The Heo Hydro Electric Project, with a capacity of 240 MW, will be developed at Rs 1,939 crore, producing an estimated 1,000 million units of electricity per year. Both projects, located on the Yarjep river, aim to significantly boost the state’s hydroelectric capacity and regional energy security.

The convention centre in Tawang, constructed under the PM-DevINE scheme at Rs 145.37 crore, will accommodate over 1,500 people, meeting global standards and supporting the tourism and cultural potential of the region.