Guwahati (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday alleged that the Congress, during its previous 15 years of rule in Assam, "pocketed" Rs 150 crore per annum from the state healthcare budget.

Inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for healthcare projects worth Rs 2,092 crore in Assam, Shah said the BJP works for affordable healthcare for all sections of society and lauded Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for bringing the state's medical facilities at par with states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

"Assam's healthcare was in shambles 10 years ago as Congress worked only for the financial health of its leaders' families," he said.

Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said that no Indian supports his acts of "defaming" the country in his bid to oppose the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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He lambasted the Congress for its "shirtless" protest at the recent AI summit in New Delhi and Gandhi for having 'chai-pakora' on the stairs of Parliament House.

"We were also in the opposition and staged protests against the government, but there is a right platform for it," he said.

"Parliament is a sacred seat of democracy. Its stairs should not be used for even dharnas. And Rahul Gandhi was having 'chai-pakora' there. Doesn't he know where to have his breakfast?" asked the Union minister.

Shah inaugurated the Rs 675-crore Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital in Guwahati, at a programme held on its premises.

He also virtually inaugurated two cancer centres at Golaghat and Tinsukia, both under Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF), constructed at a cost of Rs 135 crore each.

Shah virtually laid the foundation stone for super-speciality hospitals at Diphu Medical College and Hospital (Rs 220 crore), Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (Rs 310 crore), and Barpeta Medical College and Hospital (Rs 284 crore).

The foundation stone for a Rs 218-crore Swasthya Bhawan in Guwahati, and the Abhayapuri District Hospital (Rs 115 crore) were also laid by the Union home minister.

Shah arrived here on Saturday evening on a two-day visit to Assam, his fourth visit to the northeastern state in four months.

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Brahmavar: An auto rickshaw driver was killed after the vehicle toppled on the road as he tried to avoid hitting a dog near Mary Kom Hall Dairy in Heggunje village.

The rickshaw driver, identified as Narasimha Poojary, was traveling from Shiroor towards Kokkarne on Friday, March 13, when a dog suddenly came in the way. Poojary is said to have urgently turned his rickshaw towards the left, as a result of which, he lost control over the vehicle. The rickshaw toppled on the road.

The rickshaw driver was grievously injured in the accident and, in spite of treatment, is learned to have succumbed to injuries on Saturday morning.

A case has been registered at the Brahmavar Police Station and investigation is on.