'Lies must stop...': Congress slams Modi's Assam-Pakistan charge
What's the story
The Congress party has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing it of conspiring to hand over Assam to Pakistan before India's independence. PM Modi made the allegations at a rally in Guwahati on Saturday, saying "a plan was made to make Assam a part of undivided Bengal or East Pakistan," with the Congress "going to become part of the conspiracy" with the Muslim League and British forces.
Historical accuracy
Congress leader refutes PM Modi's allegations
Senior Congress leader Manickam Tagore has strongly refuted PM Modi's claims on X, calling them "historically false and politically motivated." Tagore said there was never a proposal to hand over Assam to Pakistan, as it was a Hindu-majority province and was never designated for Pakistan under the Partition plan. He noted that the Sylhet district of Assam, a Muslim-majority region, was under consideration during the Partition.
Inauguration event
PM Modi inaugurates nature-themed airport in Guwahati
PM Modi's remarks came after he inaugurated India's first nature-themed airport in Guwahati, named after Gopinath Bordoloi, Assam's first post-Independence chief minister and a Congress leader. The Prime Minister also unveiled an 80-foot statue of Bordoloi on the occasion. He praised Bordoloi for opposing the Congress to protect Assam from being separated from India. "Bordoloi stood up against his own party," Modi said.
Historical dispute
Tagore disputes PM Modi's account of Bordoloi's actions
Tagore has disputed PM Modi's account of Bordoloi's actions, citing a July 1947 referendum under British authority in Sylhet. The referendum resulted in a vote to join East Bengal, which later became East Pakistan. Tagore noted, "Karimganj subdivision was retained in India." He said this decision wasn't made by the Congress party but was influenced by British haste and Muslim League demands during the Partition, accusing Modi of turning "a complex, tragic history into a campaign slogan."
Twitter Post
Manickam Tagore's rebuttal of Modi's statement
“During Partition, Congress wanted to hand over Assam to Pakistan,” says PM Modi.
— Manickam Tagore .B🇮🇳மாணிக்கம் தாகூர்.ப (@manickamtagore) December 21, 2025
This claim is historically false.
Facts matter. Lies must stop. 👇
There was NO proposal to hand over Assam to Pakistan.
Assam was a Hindu-majority province and was never designated for Pakistan… https://t.co/Tkz2hxRFct
Contemporary concerns
PM Modi links historical events to current issues
PM Modi's comments come amid unrest in Bangladesh, where protests have erupted after the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. In this regard, the Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) in Chittagong, Bangladesh, has suspended operations till further notice. The decision follows a recent security incident at the Assistant High Commission of India (AHCI) in the city.