By TIOL News Service

GUWAHATI, FEB 08, 2021: PRIME Minister Mr Narendra Modi claimed that a conspiracy is being hatched to malign Indian tea and assured the tea garden workers of Assam on Sunday that the government will seek answers from the " conspirators ."

Addressing a gathering at Dhekiajuli in poll-bound Assam's Sonitpur district, the Prime Minister said he could personally testify to the distinct and special flavour of the State's red tea.

"Some documents have emerged that reveal powers outside the country are conspiring to defame the tea which is the identity of India," he said.

"Every tea garden will demand answers from those who have decided to defame the Indian tea and also from those political parties who are silent in favour of the conspirators," Mr Modi added.

The PM who was on a second visit to the State in a fortnight, was referring the ‘toolkit' launched by climate change activist Ms Greta Thunberg and musician Ms Rihanna who have expressed support for the farmers' protest in Delhi via social media. The kit asks to "disrupt yoga and chai image of India in general."

"From the land of Assam, I would like to tell these conspirators, that the country will not allow their nefarious designs to succeed. These attacks on India's tea do not have the power to match up to the hard work of our tea garden workers," Mr Modi emphasised.

He was visiting Assam to lay the foundation Stone of two hospitals-cum-medical colleges and launched projects worth Rs. 7,700 crore under the ‘ Asom Mala ' programme for State highways and major district roads.

"This day bears testimony to a significant change in the fortune and future of Assam… Till 2016, there were only six medical colleges in Assam in the seven decades since independence. But in these five years, six more were added," he said.

He said this will improve medical services in remote areas as more and more doctors will be able to reach out to their people.

Noting the centrality of tea gardens in the growth of Assam, he said the government has allocated Rs. 1,000 crore for a welfare scheme of the workers and portioned money to be transferred directly to their bank accounts.