GUWAHATI, March 15 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress governments of keeping the Northeast far from both 'Dilli' (Delhi) and 'Dil' (Heart) for many decades following Independence while addressing a public meeting in Assam's Silchar town, on the second day of his two-day visit to the poll-bound state. "For many decades following Independence, Congress governments kept Northeast far from both 'Dilli' (Delhi) and 'Dil' (Heart). In a way, they had forgotten about the region. But the double engine government of BJP has connected the region in such a way that it has created a buzz everywhere," said Modi. He added, "Northeast is the centre of India's Act East Policy and is the bridge between the country and the South East Asia region. But like the rest of NE, Congress had a big role in alienating Assam's Barak Valley. They allowed boundaries to be drawn in such a way during Independence that led to the region getting disconnected from the sea." Modi highlighted how the Barak Valley was an important trade route and industrial hub prior to Independence, but said that Congress didn't allow the region to prosper. He stated that the BJP is trying to correct that mistake. At the event, the PM laid the foundation stone of the Shillong-Silchar Corridor, the first access-controlled Greenfield four-lane high-speed corridor in Northeast India. The 166 km corridor, with an investment of around Rs.22,860 crore, will significantly improve connectivity between Meghalaya and Assam. The project will reduce the distance between Guwahati and Silchar and reduce travel time from 8.5 hours to approximately 5 hours....