North East developed rapidly after Modi-led NDA government came to power: Rajnath Singh

The Defence Minister also took a jibe at the Congress and said that Delhi, Mizoram and the North Eastern states were not only far by distance but were also distant from the hearts of the government during the grand old party's tenure.

Speaking to the gathering on Wednesday, Rajnath Singh said, "When there was the Congress rule in Delhi, Mizoram and the North Eastern states were not only far by distance but they were also distant from our hearts. The North East has developed rapidly after the Modi-led NDA government came to power."

"I have been visiting the North Eastern states for the last 20 years. There had been a major problem of connectivity in this area. It was not easy to reach the capitals of the states in the North East. There was no direct route. Today every North Eastern state has direct connectivity with Delhi because every state has been connected with an airport. In 2014, there were 8 airports and 1 waterway, in the North East, now there are 17 airports and 18 waterways," he said further.

Earlier, the Defence Minister on Tuesday attended the closing ceremony of 'Janata Raja'- a play based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - here in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow.

Recalling a show, he had watched in 2005 in Mumbai, Rajnath Singh said that he was announced as the party's national president on the next day.

He also thanked the organisers of this programme for extending him the invitation to watch the show.

"I would like to thank the organisers of this programme for inviting me here. I am also thankful that they organised this play to showcase the life messages of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj amongst the public here," the senior BJP leader added.

Janata Raja is a brief stage drama written by Shrimant Babasaheb Purandare based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. (ANI)