Slamming the Congress for mocking the culture of Northeast by calling its dress 'outlandish', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that people of the country have now understood the main Opposition party's 'divide and rule' policy. PM Modi said it was due to this reason that the Congress was now confined to just a few states in the country.
Addressing an election rally in Lunglei, Mizoram, PM Modi told the people of the state that they a 'golden' opportunity to throw out the Congress regime.
"The Congress party, which once governed maximum number of states, is now restricted to just two or three states. Now, the people of Mizoram have a golden opportunity to rid themselves of this Congress culture," Modi said.
The priority for Congress is not the people of Mizoram, it is fighting to gain power, the PM charged.
"I feel deep sense of anguish when I see a Congress leader abused traditional dress of northeast states, calling them outlandish. Your hopes, ambitions do not matter to the Congress. Their priority is power and not the people of Mizoram," he stated.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had in August stated that Prime Minister Modi wears 'outlandish' headgear while posting a photo on social media.
"I ask you why does our Prime Minister wear all sorts of outlandish headgear wherever he goes around the country or around the world? Why does he always refuse to wear a Muslim skull cap? Tharoor had stated.
"You see him in Naga headgears with feathers. You have seen him in various kinds of extraordinary outfits which is a right thing for a prime minister to do. Indira Gandhi has also been photographed wearing various kinds of costumes. But why he still always says no to one?" Tharoor had stated.
Talking about the government's 'Act, East, Act Fast' policy, PM Modi said that the BJP has, in the last 4.5 years, developed every region of the Northeast.
"In the last four years, the BJP government at the Centre, has worked for greater recognition of Indian culture and traditions, far and wide," PM Modi said in Lunglei which is considered to be the last bastion of the Congress in the Northeast.
Election to the 40-member Mizoram assembly is scheduled for November 28.
(With inputs from PTI)
