"Those in power after Independence...": In Guwahati, PM Modi bristles at Cong over Ayodhya snub

Guwahati: Bristling at the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said those who were at the helm at the Centre for long since independence couldn't understand the significance of places of worship, adding that they set a trend in the practice of being 'ashamed' of their own culture.
Ruffling feathers in the Centre and the BJP, Congress heavyweights, including the party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi turned down the invitation to the recent 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
The snub by the Congress top brass and several Opposition leaders drew fury from the BJP, which accused them of insulting the country's Sanatan culture.
Prime Minister Modi made these remarks while addressing a gathering in Guwahati after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 11,599 crore including the Maa Kamakhya Divya Pariyojana here in Guwahati.
"Unfortunately, those in power for a long time after Independence did not understand the importance of our holy sites. They made a trend out of the practice of being ashamed of one's own culture and past for political gains," PM Modi said.
He said that the inauguration of projects worth Rs 11,000 crore, will strengthen the connectivity of Assam, northeast with other countries of South Asia.
"I am fortunate to dedicate projects for Assam with the blessings of Maa Kamakhya. The inauguration of projects worth Rs 11,000 crore will strengthen connectivity in Assam and elsewhere in the Northeast with other countries of South Asia. These projects will increase employment opportunities in the tourism sector as well," he said.
"After the grand event in Ayodhya, I have now here at the Dwar of Mother Kamakhya. Today I had the privilege of laying the foundation stone of the Maa Kamakhya Divya Pariyojana Project here. One senses the divinity of this holy site when one pays a visit to the Kamakhya Temple. When it is completed, the project will fill the devotees of Maa Kamakhya from all over the country and the world with immense joy," Prime Minister Modi added.
He said that once completed, the Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor will become the gateway for tourism in the entire Northeast.
Lauding PM Modi's efforts in pushing infrastructure in the Northeast, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Today marks a golden day for Assam. Under PM Modi, Assam has seen unprecedented peace and prosperity. Thousand of youths left extremism and returned to the mainstream. We got nine bridges made over the Brahmaputra. It could only happen in the Modi regime."
The Maa Kamakhya Divya Pariyojana (Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor), which has been sanctioned under the Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE) scheme, will provide world-class amenities to pilgrims visiting the Kamakhya temple.
Apart from it, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone of multiple road upgradation projects worth over Rs 3400 crore, under which 43 roads including 38 bridges will be upgraded as part of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Corridor Connectivity. Prime Minister also inaugurated two 4-laning projects, namely Dolabari to Jamuguri and Biswanath Chariali to Gohpur. These projects will help improve the connectivity to Itanagar and boost the overall economic development of the region.
He laid the foundation stone of projects to boost the sports infrastructure in the state. The projects include an international standards sports stadium in Chandrapur, and the upgradation of Nehru stadium to FIFA standards.
Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stone for the development of infrastructure of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and a medical college at Karimganj.