New Delhi, November 15 (IANS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bodoland Mahotsav in New Delhi on Friday. He said that after the peace conference held four years ago, there is rapid development in Bodoland.
Addressing the Bodoland Mahotsav, PM Modi congratulated the countrymen on Dev Diwali being celebrated on Kartik Purnima and the 555th Prakash Parv of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
He further said, “Today the whole country is also celebrating Tribal Pride Day. This morning I participated in the 150th birth anniversary program of Lord Birsa Munda in Jamui, Bihar. I am very happy to be a part of the Bodo Mahotsav. Our Government Committed to ensuring progress and prosperity for the Bodo community.”
The Prime Minister said, “50 years of bloodshed, 50 years of violence, three-four generations of youth were consumed in this violence. After so many decades, Bodo is celebrating the festival today. After the Bodo peace accord in the year 2020, I got the opportunity to come to Kokrajhar. I felt like you treated me as one of your own. The development of Bodoland in the last four years was very important for me. A strong foundation for the future has been laid. I feel very satisfied to see the positive results of the peace agreement in Bodoland.”
He said that the Bodo Peace Agreement has opened new avenues for many more peace agreements. If it had remained “only on paper, others would not have trusted me. However, you internalized the agreement in your life”. He said that he kept the faith with which he had gone to the Bodo people. He assured that he will leave no stone unturned in working hard to live up to the hopes and aspirations of the Bodo people. He said, “You people have won me over. So I am forever yours, for you and because of you.”
PM Modi said that the Central Government has given a special package of Rs 1,500 crore for the development of Bodoland. 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. Due to the peace agreement, more than 10,000 youth in Assam alone gave up arms and violence and joined the mainstream.
He said, “Nobody would have imagined that the Karbi Anglong Peace Accord, the Bru-Reang Accord and the NLFT Tripura Accord would become a reality. This has become possible because of you. I am happy that the youth who held the gun a few years ago Now they are moving forward in the field of sports. Having two editions of Durand Cup in Kokrajhar and the arrival of teams from Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan is historic in itself.
He said that he considers the entire North-East including Assam as Ashtalakshmi of India. Now the sun of development will rise from Eastern India, which will give new energy to the resolve of a developed India. Therefore, the government is making continuous efforts for lasting peace in the North-East. He said that the Central Government is looking for an amicable solution to the border disputes of the North-Eastern states.
–IANS
AKS/AKJ
