NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he considers the entire North-East including Assam as the “Ashtalakshmi“of India.
Addressing the first Bodoland Mahotsav in Delhi, the prime minister said, “For me, the entire North-East including Assam is the Ashtalakshmi of India. Now the sun of development will rise from Eastern India, which will give new energy to the resolve of developed India. That is why we are continuously working for lasting peace in the North-East. We are seeking amicable solutions to the border disputes of the North-Eastern states.”
PM Modi said that the central government has allocated a special development package of Rs 1,500 crore for Bodoland adding that, “Assam government has also given a special development package. More than Rs 700 crore has been spent to develop infrastructure related to education, health and culture in Bodoland.”
The Prime Minister further expressed his satisfaction with Bodoland’s progress in the past four years after the Peace Accord implementation.
He said, “In the last four years, the development of Bodoland has been very important. After the signing of the Peace Accord, Bodoland has witnessed a wave of development. I feel very satisfied after looking at the positive and encouraging results of the Peace Accord.”
“The Bodo Peace Accord hasn’t just benefitted you, it has opened new avenues for many more peace accords. Had it remained on papers only, others wouldn’t have trusted me. However, you imbibed the accord in your lives,” he added.
The Prime Minister praised the peace accords that led to over 10,000 youths in Assam abandoning arms and violence to join mainstream society. He also referenced successful agreements like the Karbi Anglong peace pact, Bru-Reang agreement, and NLFT Tripura agreement.
The BJP supremo said, “I am happy that the youth who were holding guns a few years ago are now moving ahead in the field of sports. The holding of two editions of the Durand Cup in Kokrajhar and the arrival of teams from Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan is historic in itself.”
PM Modi said that after decades of strife, Bodo is celebrating a festival of peace. “Today’s occasion is very emotional for me. 50 years of bloodshed, 50 years of violence, and 3-4 generations of youth were consumed in this violence. After so many decades, Bodo is celebrating the festival today. In the year 2020, after the Bodo Peace Accord, I got the opportunity to come to Kokrajhar. The love and affection you gave me there, it felt as if you considered me one of your own. I will always remember that moment,” he added.