Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, during a public rally in Assam, lashed out at the Congress party for allegedly belittling the late music legend Bhupen Hazarika, saying he was deeply hurt by a remark made by the Congress president following the announcement of the Bharat Ratna for Hazarika.

Referring to a video shown to him by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Modi said, "The Chief Minister showed me a video of the President of the Congress Party, and I was deeply hurt after seeing this. The day the Government of India gave Bharat Ratna to the great son of this country, the pride of Assam, Bhupen Hazarika Ji. The President of the Congress Party had said that Modi is giving Bharat Ratna to dancers and singers."

The Prime Minister strongly defended the decision to honour Hazarika, a revered cultural icon and singer from Assam, with the country's highest civilian award, saying it was an act of national pride, not politics.

“You people tell me, is my decision of honouring Bhupen Da with Bharat Ratna right or wrong?” he asked the crowd, receiving resounding support.

PM added, "Mujhe kitne hi gaaliya de, main bhagwan Shiv ka bhakt hoon, saara zehar nigal leta hoon (No matter how much you abuse me, I am a devotee of Lord Shiva, I swallow all the poison). But when someone else is insulted, I cannot tolerate that.”

140 crore Indians are my remote control: Modi

PM Modi also responded to frequent opposition jibes that he is being controlled, saying that he answers only to the people of India.

“Yahi mera remote control hai. Mera aur koi remote control nahi hai, 140 crore deshwasi mera remote control hai...,” he said, pointing to the crowd.

Prime Minister Modi was in Assam to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for key infrastructure and industrial development projects worth over ₹18,530 crore. Among these is the Guwahati Ring Road Project, aimed at easing traffic congestion and boosting regional connectivity.