Northeast became a cancer capital during Congress' tenure: Amit Shah in Assam

Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Northeast had become a 'cancer capital of India' during Congress' tenure as the party did nothing to contain the disease.

"Congress only made promises but did not fulfill them. Cancer became acute in the Northeast and in 2018, we held a meeting with Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata following which a project to construct cancer care hospitals was initiated. The new cancer care hospital will be ready by December and this will help cancer patients from across the Northeast," Shah said while addressing a function in Guwahati after inaugurating a radiation therapy block in a cancer hospital situated in the premises of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

Shah said a number of cancer care hospitals are also being set up for treatment of level 2 and level 3 cancer in Assam and other parts of the Northeast.

Shah also claimed that the agitations which Assam witnessed in the past brought no development. "Many new parties came into being and tried to agitate people but people of Assam voted for BJP and gave us the mandate for the second time. No one wants to disturb the culture, language, identity and food habits of Assam. In fact, BJP is committed for protection and promotion of such culture across the country," Shah said. "We want to end agitation and violence in Assam and end all conflicts in the Northeast before 2024," he said.

Read | Centre keen on resolving border disputes among North East states: Shah

This was Shah's first visit to Assam after BJP won the Assembly elections for the second time in May.

Shah also laid the foundation stone of a medical college in Tamulpur in Bodoland region – a project promised in the new Bodoland Accord signed in January 2020. He assured that all clauses of the BTR Accord would be fulfilled before the country celebrates 75 years of Independence in 2022.

The home minister also formally inaugurated a scheme of the Assam government under which Rs 1 lakh is being given to family members of Covid-19 victims. Shah handed over cheques to three such families.

A total of 5,114 people have died due to Covid-19 in Assam so far.