Shah Vows to Seal Assam Borders, Pushes Vibrant Villages Plan
Shah Vows to Seal Assam Borders, Pushes Vibrant Villages Plan
Amit Shah accuses Congress of lax borders in Assam and promises to identify and push back infiltrators within five years as Vibrant Villages Programme expands.
Union home minister Amit Shah visited Assam to launch the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme, speaking at Nathanpur village near the India-Bangladesh border in Cachar district. He asserted that Congress ruled the state for over 50 years and kept borders open for infiltrators, adding that if the BJP returns to power, every illegal migrant will be identified and pushed back within five years.
Shah framed two major challenges for Assam – infiltration and floods – and said the government has long-term solutions in mind. He highlighted plans to create a large number of ponds and divert the Brahmaputra’s excess monsoon flow toward farmers’ fields and lakes to boost irrigation and tourism. Developing large lakes would further boost tourism, he added, alongside strengthening border security through the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-II).
The objective, Shah explained, is to ensure people living in border areas do not migrate due to a lack of development and opportunities, but instead become part of a national security framework by acting as the eyes and ears of the nation to deter cross-border crimes and infiltration. He claimed that under VVP-II, more than 140 bordering villages in Assam will be developed like any other village in the country, across nine districts and 26 blocks.
Shah’s remarks come amid a broader electoral push in Assam, where the BJP is stressing development and security as it seeks to consolidate support ahead of polls. The Vibrant Villages Programme is positioned as a tool to curb migration, strengthen communities, and create a template for border-area growth.
